England will go to Euro 2024 as a team increasing orbiting around one remarkable player in Jude Bellingham.
Harry Kane scored twice either side of Marcus Rashford's strike, as a 3-1 win over Italy at Wembley confirmed England's place in next summer's finals in Germany, but this was another occasion on which Bellingham was the difference.
The 20-year-old continued his blistering start to the season with two assists, winning a penalty for Kane to cancel out Gianluca Scamacca's opening goal, and a breathtaking run and pass for Rashford in the second half.
Just as he was on his last England outing, last month's friendly win over Scotland, Bellingham was at the centre of everything and it is increasingly obvious that England's hopes of going one better than Euro 2020 depend on Gareth Southgate continuing the get the best from his No.10.
Bellingham earned a standing ovation from Wembley on being replaced by Jack Grealish, the darling of the last Euros. Next summer will surely be Bellingham's time.
This was also a night for Rashford, who his cemented his place on the left of the front three with a purposeful display, as well as Kane. The captain became the first player to reach 60 England goals before capping the victory with a composed run and finish.
If there was a concern for Southgate, it was the rustiness of Kalvin Phillips, who somehow avoided a red card in a laboured performance which suggested his lack of minutes for Manchester City is impacting his sharpness.
Phillips was hooked on 70 minutes, shortly after he should have been shown a second yellow card, with Jordan Henderson coming on to a decidedly mixed reception -- another headache for the manager.
Allowing Bellingham freedom to do as he pleases is now paramount, which ideally requires Phillips or Henderson in good nick to provide the ballast.
At a packed Wembley, England made the brighter start, Rashford whistling a 35-yard free-kick over the bar, but it was Italy who struck first, Scamacca firing into the roof of the net from six yards.
From an England perspective, the goal made for an uncomfortable viewing. Declan Rice failed to cut out a pass in the build-up, Rashford was slow to track Giovanni Di Lorenzo's run and Harry Maguire could not cut out the full-back's cross, leaving an unmarked Scamacca with a simple finish.
It was the first goal the striker, now at Atalanta, has scored in London in 2023, despite spending last season at West Ham.
"There is simply no repressing the irresistible Bellingham"
Plainly, Scamacca did not show his best for the Hammers but he was enjoying himself here, and England received another warning when the 24-year-old was able to turn a flash a fierce effort past the post.
England's positive start had given way to jitters, the mood soured and their composure shaken. Then Bellingham came alive.
His tame header from Trippier's cross was comfortable for Gianluigi Donnarumma but moments later Kane held off a defender and Bellingham burst onto the loose ball and into the box. Di Lorenzo slid in but Bellingham was too quick, getting his toe on the ball first and winning the penalty. Kane did the rest to level up.
England were buoyed again, and Rashford unlocked Italy with a majestic pass for Phil Foden, who felt his flick was handled by Destiny Udogie in the box, before the Manchester United winger tested Donnarumma with a low shot.
It remained end to end, however, and Pickford also got down to deny Tottenham's Udogie from seven yards before the interval.
With a draw effectively enough to qualify, Southgate had said England would not take undue risks and the question in the second half was how gung-ho they would be.
There is simply no repressing the irresistible Bellingham, however, and his second assist for Rashford was majestic and again a result of his combination of skill and power. The Real Madrid man won the ball with a sliding tackle on the edge of his own box to start a counter, and bursting forward flicked Foden's pass over the head of a defender.
The pitch was suddenly wide open for Rashford but he still had plenty to do, bursting past Di Lorenzo and Udogie and rifling home an unstoppable finish.
Now Bellingham was purring, bringing out the flicks and feints, and the only surprise was that he was not involved in England's third goal, which killed the game as a contest.
Substitute Marc Guehi brilliantly controlled Jordan Pickford's heavy pass and sent a long ball towards Kane. Alessandro Bastoni made a mess of his header to allow the Bayern Munich forward to pip teenager Giorgio Scalvini to the loose ball, race clear and score.
It was loose defending from the young pair, underlining that this is no longer the Italy of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, which beat England here in the final of the last Euros.
This is not the same England either, a point Southgate has been keen to make this week. Most importantly, they have Bellingham in the side now.
