England fans enraptured by the joy of six
Record World Cup victory gets supporters believing that the team could go on to win the competition
England’s fans were in shock. Fivenil at half time, 6-1 by the final whistle. “King” Harry Kane had scored a hat-trick and the defender John Stones managed two, one more than Wayne Rooney managed in three World Cups.
This was England’s biggest ever win in a World Cup finals and the 3,000 or so supporters who made it to Nizhny Novgorod, a closed city in the Soviet era banned to Westerners, were pinching themselves. Results like this don’t happen to England. Ever.
Through it all the fans sang, danced and partied in the heat of Nizhny where temperatures hit 95F (35C). The Panamanians, celebrating their first World Cup goal, joined in.
England were out of Brazil four years ago after two games, and in 2010 were humiliated by Germany 4-1 in South Africa. In 45 minutes yesterday, a young team scored as many goals as they did in seven games in 2010 and 2014. At half time, Panama’s manager congratulated Gareth Southgate, the England manager.
“England are totally spectacular, a beautiful team,” he said in a postmatch press conference. No one has ever called England that for a very long time.
The fans who chanted: “We’re going all the way to Moscow” where the World Cup final will be held on July 15 agree. Expectation will now hit fever pitch.
Ben Liversage, 41, a restaurant manager here with two friends from Lowestoft, Suffolk, dressed as England’s “three lions”, was joyously baffled: “We have never even seen England win at a major tournament. That was amazing. We now finally have all this hope. We can go on to win. If we get to the final I’ll quit my job if needs be.”
The England fans had sung their hearts out, applauded by the players at the end. Panama, outnumbering England fans three to one, made more noise; this was their first World Cup and their first ever goal. England and Panama fans embraced at the finish.
As the goals went in, England’s fans switched between rousing renditions of the national anthem and the catchy new song that the Russia 2018 hordes have adopted: “1, 2, 3, 4 woah England are in Russia; woah drinking all the vodka; woah England’s going all the way,” to the tune of Earth, Wind and Fire’s September.
Daniel Harding, 27, an animator from London, admitted to shedding a tear. “This is amazing. I will never forget this until the day I die,” he said, hugging his father.
“They were real tears. I got a bit numb after we scored four. Hell yes. we can now win. Harry Kane is king. No, make that Sir Harry Kane.”
Max Wisbey, at 17 barely be able to remember England’s comparative glory days of reaching the last eight in 2006, was there with his father Ian, a company vice-president living in Boston in the US. He said he could now hold his head up high in his high school back in the States.
His 50-year-old father declared: “We were in Brazil and it was so depressing. It was such misery.”
James Benson, 28, a tax accountant, declared: “Even after this I don’t think the pressure will be on them. Gareth Southgate knows what he’s doing. He has been there in the pit of misery. He was there missing a penalty at Euro 96. He will keep the players level-headed.”
Stephen Price, 62, a retired fitter from Walsall, who was at Italia 90, said: “I am only supposed to be here for this one match, but I’m retired and I’m tempted to head for Kaliningrad and on.” Supporting England comes at a cost. “For 15 years,” joked Mr Price, his son Stephen junior, 39, beside him, “he didn’t have a Christmas present. I feel even more confident now. The big guns – Germany, Argentina, Brazil – are not performing.”
England’s fans continued their celebrations in bars that run down to the historic Kremlin that looks out over the majestic Volga river.
Mick Wilcox, 55, an engineer and father-of-two from Stoke, enjoyed his first England game. “That was fantastic. Now I’m daring to believe.”