England bounced back from their disappointing draw against Ghana to finish top of Group L after defeating Panama 2-0 in their final group-stage match.
The Three Lions struggled to break the deadlock early on, but Jude Bellingham put them ahead in the 62nd minute with a left-footed volley from a corner kick. Harry Kane doubled the lead just five minutes later, scoring his third goal of the tournament to become England’s all-time leading World Cup goalscorer.
The defeat ended Panama’s World Cup campaign. A late effort was ruled out by VAR, leaving Panama as the only team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup without a goal and the first nation to finish a World Cup without scoring since 2010.
England’s victory meant the outcome of the other Group L clash between Croatia and Ghana would determine the remaining standings.
Croatia took the lead in the 31st minute through a powerful strike from Petar Sučić, briefly moving to the top of the group. Ghana fought back in the 73rd minute when Derrick Luckassen converted Ernest Nuamah’s free-kick, although the goal survived a lengthy VAR review for offside.
Croatia restored their lead soon after, with Nikola Vlašić heading home from a corner kick. The 2-1 victory secured Croatia second place in the group and qualification for the knockout stage, while Ghana finished third.
