The Three Lions of England couldn’t have wished for a better start to the World Cup as the Gareth Southgate side thumped Iran 6-2 in the first game of Group B.

Jude Bellingham got on a pinpointed cross from Luke Shaw to score the opening goal of the match.

Bukayo Saka made it 2-0 few minutes later when he scored a ball headed down by Harry Maguire from a Luke Shaw corner kick to reward Gareth Southgate of the faith he had in him to start the match.

Sterling put the game beyond doubt just before the end of the first half, as he slotted the ball beyond the goalkeeper for another World Cup goal.

Just after the hour mark, Saka drove into the box from the left side of the English attack before dummying the ball and shooting the ball into the net for his second of the day and England’s fourth.

Saka’s goals means he has become the youngest player to score two goals or more in a World Cup debut since German legend Franz Beckenbauer in 1966.

Three minutes later, Iran reduced the deficit with a well worked pass from Ali to find Messi Tarhemi in between John Stones and Harry Maguire. The striker roofed the ball into the net, leaving Pickford helpless.

With only few seconds on the pitch, Marcus Rashford received a pass from Harry Kane, cut into the box and fired into the net with his weaker left foot to make it 5-1 and dent any chance of an Iran comeback.

Jack Grealish came off the bench to score the 6th goal for England in the 90th minute and dedicated his goal to 11-year-old Man City fan Finlay who has cerebral palsy.

Mehdi Taremi scored a consolation goal for Iran to complete an eight goal thriller as his side lost 6-2 to the Three Lions.

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