England got their World Cup 2022 campaign off to the perfect start with a 6-2 hammering of Iran at the Khalifa stadium in Group B.
The Three Lions headed into the tie as overwhelming favourites, and after a disjointed start to the game involving a ten-minute stoppage, Jude Bellingham netted on his World Cup debut to hand Gareth Southgate’s side a deserved lead.
Bukayo Saka doubled that lead just minutes later, before Harry Kane teed up Raheem Sterling to volley home a third before half-time. The goals continued to flow for the Three Lions, with Bukayo Saka grabbing a second and his fourth with some lovely footwork before a neat finish.
Bukayo Saka. You beauty 😍
The 21-year-old just casually doing this at a World Cup!
England 4-0 Iran
💻🖥📱 Watch on @BBCiPlayer, listen on @BBCSounds, get more on the @BBCSport app#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/XMDz06vaiV
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) November 21, 2022
Iran, who looked deflated from the first minutes, pulled one back with their first effort on target as Mehdi Taremi fired into the roof of the net, but they could not stem the flow heading in the other direction as first Marcus Rashford and then Jack Grealish, on as second-half substitutes, added to England’s tally.
With virtually the last kick of the game, Taremi grabbed another consolation for Iran with a calmly taken penalty following a VAR review in a contender for the longest game of the tournament, which included 24 minutes of added time.
But despite this, and as is expected from such a dominant performance, there were plenty of impressive statistics that surfaced. Here are the best of them.
◉ Jude Bellingham
◉ Bukayo Saka x2
◉ Raheem Sterling
◉ Marcus Rashford
◉ Jack GrealishEvery England goalscorer against Iran netted their first-ever World Cup goal in this game.#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/YS3BYh6OcV
— Squawka (@Squawka) November 21, 2022
2 – Bukayo Saka 🏴 (21 years, 77 days) is the youngest player to score 2+ goals in his first WC game since Franz Beckenbauer 🇩🇪 in 1966 (20 years, 304 days). Kaiser. 👑#ENG #ThreeLions #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/UGp6GZuiWD
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 21, 2022
Five substitutions for the first time in #FIFAWorldCup history 🔁
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 21, 2022
And he’s now become the first ever #Arsenal player (any country) to score twice in a match at the men’s World Cup https://t.co/Xw1YceoEGz
— Tom Ede (@TomEde1) November 21, 2022
2 – Harry Maguire assisted two goals at the #FIFAWorldCup (1 in 2018, 1 in 2022), since 1966 only David Beckham provided more assists for England at the World Cup. Posh. pic.twitter.com/nACzTsgrCK
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) November 21, 2022
Youngest players to score for England at the men’s World Cup:
◎ Michael Owen (18y 190d)
◎ Michael Owen (18y 198d)
◉ Jude Bellingham (19y 145d)
◉ Bukayo Saka (21y 77d)Young Lions.#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/nkFeNvqDFG
— Squawka (@Squawka) November 21, 2022
The last five braces for England at the World Cup:
1990: @GaryLineker vs Cameroon
2018: @HKane vs Tunisia
2018: John Stones vs Panama
2018: Harry Kane vs Panama
2022: @BukayoSaka87 vs IranIn great company 💪 pic.twitter.com/ci9DxeGGYs
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) November 21, 2022
49 – Marcus Rashford scored just 49 seconds after coming on for England, the third-quickest goal by a substitute in World Cup history. Impact. pic.twitter.com/NIjqb6nHXW
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 21, 2022
498 days since being racially abused for missing a penalty at the Euros final:
✔️Arsenal player of the season
✔️Arsenal top goalscorer last season
✔️Leading Arsenal to five points clear in PL
✔️ Scores a rocket on first-ever World Cup start🤲 Bukayo Saka is some man
— Mark Mann-Bryans (@MarkyMBryans) November 21, 2022
