Bellingham Shines as England Beat Panama 2-0 to Top Group L

Jude Bellingham scored and assisted as England topped Group L, but Tuchel's squad still has real questions to answer before the knockout rounds.

England are through to the knockout stage after a 2-0 victory over Panama in New Jersey, finishing top of Group L — and once again, it was Jude Bellingham who made it happen. Thomas Tuchel rotated heavily, but the result hinged on his two big names doing the big things.

Bellingham: First Name on the Sheet

There was genuine debate before this tournament about whether Bellingham would even start. That conversation is over. According to Sky Sports, he was everywhere in the first half and decisive in the second — opening the scoring himself before delivering the cross that set up Harry Kane's goal. He's not just starting for England right now; he's the engine, the creator, and the closer.

If there's a player in this tournament playing at a similar level of dominance, they're hard to find. Just as Mbappé has been bending games to France's will, Bellingham is doing the same for England — and doing it with more defensive graft.

Kane Makes History, Quietly

Harry Kane was largely a bystander for 45 minutes — just 25 touches in the first half — but he was exactly where he needed to be when Bellingham's inch-perfect cross arrived. He converted coolly to score his 11th World Cup goal, breaking Gary Lineker's long-standing England record. Kane also wasted a big one-on-one chance earlier in the second half, a reminder that even record-breakers have off nights.

He'll want more involvement in the knockouts, but the record is his. That's not nothing.

Quansah Struggles, Defence a Mixed Bag

With Reece James sidelined by a hamstring injury, Liverpool's Jarell Quansah got the nod at right-back — and it didn't go well. He was caught out of position, allowed a dangerous shot on goal, and rolled his ankle before being substituted around the hour mark. Tuchel now has a genuine problem on that flank heading into the elimination rounds.

At centre-back, it was nervy early. A lost header in the opening seconds let Panama threaten, and the back four was repeatedly exposed on the counter. The second half was steadier, and a clean sheet was secured — but the defensive frailties were real.

Wingers Still Haven't Delivered

Bukayo Saka provided the corner that led to Bellingham's opener, but beyond that, he faded. Marcus Rashford was lively but wasted two good chances in the first half and couldn't find the net. Morgan Rogers, operating in the No 10 role, struggled to influence the game and largely disappeared as the match wore on.

Tuchel gave those players a genuine chance to lock down starting spots — and none of them fully took it. That's a selection headache that won't solve itself. England aren't alone in having stars underperform at this stage, but the margin for error shrinks fast once the knockout bracket begins.

What Tuchel Has to Fix

England top the group. That's the bottom line. But a 0-0 draw against Ghana and a patchy performance against Panama means the feel-good factor is earned more by results than by football. The right-back slot is broken, the wide positions are unsettled, and the team relies heavily on two players — Bellingham and Kane — to generate everything.

Those two are world-class and have shown it. But in a knockout tournament, leaning that hard on two men is a risk. Tuchel will know it. The next few days matter.

England march on. Bellingham leads the way. The questions, though, are still very much open.