It only took eight seconds for Jude Bellingham to steal the lightning’s thunder. Given the nod over Morgan Rogers, Bellingham set the tone for England when their friendly against Costa Rica finally got under way. The No 10 pressed from the front, racing to charge down a clearance from Darril Araya, and was key to the way Thomas Tuchel’s side made light of the unpredictable Florida weather by imposing themselves on inferior opposition from the first whistle.
The skies had cleared by the time the game kicked off an hour later than advertised. The torrential downpour earlier in the day arrived after a three-week drought in Orlando, giving England a taste of what they can expect at the World Cup. Will they cope with the ups and downs of an American summer? Here at the agreeably compact Inter&Co Stadium, Tuchel had an encouraging response. The lineup looked close to the one that will face Croatia in Group L next Wednesday and, after last Saturday’s glorified training exercise against New Zealand, there was a sense of England’s level rising as they eased to a 3-0 win.
