England got off to a winning start at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, as they beat fellow Group B side Iran 6-2 in the second game of this year's competition, providing compelling viewing after a fairly dry opening match.
The tournament has been shrouded in controversy for some time now, and the build-up to this match certainly did not help Qatar or indeed FIFA's case, with various European captains being threatened with a yellow card if they wore a 'OneLove' rainbow armband.
Beyond the off-field stories however, it was a hugely successful afternoon for the Three Lions, as they showed their class throughout the 90 minutes, racing into a 3-0 lead at half time, including a first England goal for Jude Bellingham.
It was a day for young players, as Bukayo Saka got a brace, having netted just before the break, whilst Marcus Rashford scored just seconds after coming onto the pitch off of the bench, with Jack Grealish following suit not long afterwards.
Iran did manage to get the ball in the back of the net twice, both times courtesy of Mehdi Taremi, but his goals ultimately proved futile, as Gareth Southgate's side cruised to a comfortable victory in the end.
It is a result which puts the Three Lions in a strong position after just one game played, with arguably the two tougher matches still to come against the USA on Friday evening, before they finish off their group stage against Wales.
Confusion reigns before the game
When the night before England's first World Cup match the stories in newspapers are not discussing the potential pitfalls of their first opponent but instead the implications of wearing a different captain's armband, it is is clear this tournament is certainly unique.
The rainbow armband in question was designed to bring attention to the rights of LGBT people not just in Qatar, but around the world, though given the hosting nation were at the forefront of minds it was primarily an exercise directed at them.
FIFA then banned the armband, claiming it was a 'political gesture', which was not allowed at the tournament. Initially, it seemed as though Kane may wear the armband anywhere, defying the rules to send a strong message.
However, when FIFA then introduced the prospect of a yellow card being given to captains wearing such armbands, those involved decided they could not risk sporting sanctions and ultimately abandoned the idea.
It was an utterly ridiculous sequence events, prompting criticism of both sides; FIFA for making the promotion of LGBTQ rights a punishable offence, and the FA for backing down and appearing weak.
Overall, though it was something of a metaphor for the chaotic and bizarre nature this tournament has adopted - from Fyre Festival-esque fan accommodation, to last-minute u-turns on alcohol, it has been a farcical sequence of events which show no sign of slowing down.
Bellingham shows his class
Anyway, as Gianni Infantino would say, let's focus on the football. Because after the pre-match controversy there was still a game to be played, and fortunately for England fans it proved to be an extremely enjoyable experience.
That was in large part thanks to 19-year-old Jude Bellingham, who, despite this being his World Cup debut, shone above most of the other players on the pitch, as he was involved in almost everything that was good about England's play.
Whether it was driving forward with the ball, making key interceptions, or indeed scoring his first ever goal for his country, the Borussia Dortmund midfielder showed why Gareth Southgate has so much trust in him.
He played as if it was his 100th game, looking calm and assured on the ball, with the statistics speaking for themselves: a pass completion rate of 97%, 75% of ground duels won, and the list genuinely does go on.
He may be playing for his country at the moment, and his focus will inevitably remain on that for at least the next few weeks, but it is hard to separate his international form from the appeal it will bring at club level.
It is no secret that multiple clubs across Europe have been admirers of the youngster, and if he continues to play as he did in this one, Dortmund know the price they can eventually charge for him will be going up and up.
Taremi takes some consolation
In all honesty, it was not the best display Carlos Queiroz will have ever seen from his side, as they were repeatedly opened up at the back and struggled to get a foothold in the game at any point throughout it.
The one slight positive they can take comes from that of striker Mehdi Taremi, who managed to score a brace, despite his team also conceding six goals, in a sign of the entertaining nature of the match.
His first was the more impressive finish, as he fired over the flailing grasp of Jordan Pickford and watched his shot bounce in off the crossbar, at which point he brought the deficit back to 4-1 midway through the second half.
The second came far too late to warrant any thoughts of a miraculous comeback, as Iran were awarded a penalty in the 100th minute of the game, which the 30-year-old rolled past Pickford in the England net.
Strangely enough, over the course of just one game Taremi has become the leading scorer at the World Cup for his country, with no other previous player ever getting past the one goal mark, so if nothing else he has made a bit of history.
He may well have more opportunities against the other two opponents in the group in the form of Wales and the USA, so whilst it was a disappointing day for his team, there was at least something to smile about from a personal point of view for the striker.
Southgate's selections pay off
Prior to the game, there had been more than a few question marks and eyebrows raised at Southgate's starting eleven, with the absence of Phil Foden and the inclusion of Harry Maguire two rather large sticking points.
And yet, as it turned out, every player who started the game put in a strong performance, with the substitutes also combining well when they came on - just look at Marcus Rashford scoring a few seconds after he was sent on.
Gareth Southgate has faced plenty of criticism over the past year or so, some of it justified, some of it not, but it did feel as though many had forgotten how well he had done with England at two separate major tournaments.
It would be disingenuous to suggest that beating Iran - with all due respect to them - means that England are guaranteed to go on and win the entire tournament, given there will undoubtedly be tougher games ahead.
But given the sheer amount of pessimism with which many fans and pundits alike went into the World Cup, showing that they have the ability to turn on the style will provide a much-needed confidence boost for the squad, and Southgate himself.
There is still a long way to go until the chants of 'It's coming home' can be taken seriously, and it may all end in tears once again, but for now a level of respect for Southgate is the least he deserves, after proving many people wrong.
