Bellingham stars as England stumble past Panama to reach last 16

England have booked their place in the knockout rounds of the World Cup after a workmanlike victory over Panama in their final group game. Thomas Tuchel made five changes to the side, handing starts to Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford out wide while Jude Bellingham dropped into a deeper midfield role to accommodate Morgan Rogers in the number ten position. With Reece James sidelined for the next two matches, Jarell Quansah was given the opportunity at right-back but failed to seize it.

First-half frustration again

For the third successive game, England reached half-time without a goal. Panama defended resolutely and posed a threat on the counter, exposing the lack of natural width on England’s right. Quansah, more comfortable as a centre-half, offered little going forward and looked hesitant in possession. Elliot Anderson, alone in the single pivot, was frequently bypassed in transitional moments, leaving the backline exposed.

The pattern shifted after the interval, largely thanks to Bellingham’s influence. The Real Madrid midfielder powered forward to open the scoring with a composed finish, then delivered a wonderful cross for Harry Kane to double the lead. Kane’s strike made him England’s all-time top scorer in World Cup finals, a moment that will be long remembered.

Player ratings: Bellingham sublime, Rashford wasteful

Jordan Pickford - 6: Had little to do but dealt with Panama’s efforts confidently. Frustrated by the chances his defence allowed through.

Jarell Quansah - 4: Struggled to look at home on the right. More a right-sided centre-half than a full-back, he offered no real attacking threat and was caught hesitating early on. Subbed off with an injury, his audition to replace James was unsuccessful.

Ezri Konsa - 4: Like Quansah, he looked uncomfortable when Panama broke quickly on the counter.

Marc Guehi - 5: Kept his place after missing the opener against Croatia. Another clean sheet should keep him there.

Nico O’Reilly - 6: Solid defensively and a threat in attacking positions.

Elliot Anderson - 5: Looked exposed in the holding role, particularly when Panama bypassed him in the first half.

Jude Bellingham - 8: England’s best player by some distance. Covered plenty of ground in the deeper role, scored the crucial opener and created Kane’s second with a brilliant cross. Three standout performances in a row.

Bukayo Saka - 5: Involved in the first period and had more shots than Noni Madueke managed against Ghana. Showed no signs of his Achilles issue but lacked the final product.

Morgan Rogers - 5: England lacked creativity in the final third, and while not entirely his fault, the number ten must take some responsibility for the lack of incision.

Marcus Rashford - 5: Started brightly but faded, failing to produce the moments of class he is capable of. Wasteful in the second half.

Harry Kane - 6: A quiet first half with just one touch in the box, but he got the goal he needed to become England’s all-time World Cup top scorer.

Despite the uneven display, Tuchel may have found answers to some of his selection headaches. With Bellingham now thriving in a deeper role and Kane back among the goals, England head into the knockout stage with renewed optimism. Yet the questions over the right-back slot and the lack of width from both flanks remain unresolved as the latest news from the camp suggests further changes could be on the horizon.