Jude Bellingham looked like he can fulfil all that talent, but Thomas Tuchel has already fulfilled one promise. The England manager had promised that an occasion like this World Cup 2026 match would “bring out the best in us”, but it may have done even more than that.

It may well have been the country’s best spell of tournament football in decades, and perhaps the most convincing victory in some time. The game ended up 4-2, but it could genuinely have been 7-2 from the 10-minute spell after half-time alone. Croatia barely knew where to turn, let alone where to look.

By that point, Harry Kane had equalled Gary Lineker’s World Cup finals record of 10 goals thanks to his double, but that seemed no more than a footnote, as if it had come in a different and more disparate match.

Another match of four quarters – the hydration break booed by England fans – really was a game of two halves.

That second-half onslaught was sparked by a crucial and clinical individual goal from Bellingham, that might also have marked some important changes for this team.

One was the transformation from the first half. If Anthony Barry’s remarkably frank half-time interview was anything to go, Tuchel and his staff were typically candid.

Where England had previously been playing with “a lot of nervous energy” that produced a “complicated and confusing first half”, they were suddenly performing with a focused aggression and real clarity.

It was the “clarity of purpose” Tuchel always has constantly been trying to drill into them.

That was perfectly distilled in that driving Bellingham run, where he had absolutely no doubt or hesitation about what he was doing. He was going straight for goal.

There was an extra defiance to that, too, given how it had been Bellingham and Elliot Anderson largely culpable for Croatia’s brilliant first.

And, through that, there was also the biggest transformation of all.

For so much of the first half, this had seemed like the same old story for England.

They’d gone two years without a proper test and here they were again, struggling to keep control and ceding midfield in a match against the first quality side they’d played.

That can be banished, for now, even if this is not exactly the Croatia of 2018 or 2022.

England, through sheer intensity and unique qualities, just wrestled the game back. Where Croatia previously had control of possession, England just took command of everything else.

The set-pieces had helped England stay in it prior to that, and may be a crucial weapon if England do find themselves in more testing ties than this.

Mikel Arteta must have been smiling wryly. Declan Rice’s deliveries produced the Luka Modric foul on Noni Madueke for Kane’s initial penalty – eventually retaken – and then a plundering header from Kane.

Another huge advantage, especially in the conditions of this World Cup, is that bench.

Marcus Rashford came on to score after Bukayo Saka had also opened so much space.

There were still a few warnings within the 90, that might need to be heeded against higher-class opposition that don’t have a series of stars in their late 30s and beyond.

The manner in which Croatia constructed their two first-half goals posed quite a contrast to England’s four, and especially their midfield play.

It wasn’t just that Anderson, Rice and Bellingham couldn’t control the game but how easily they were losing possession and space. For the first, Bellingham was notably weak in midfield, with Anderson then out of position from his own bad pass as Croatia surged forward. John Stones could do little but slide in vein as the ball was clipped back to Martin Baturina. He let fly spectacularly, but Jordan Pickford might have been stronger.

You could say the same about the whole defence for the second. How do you have seven men on the edge of your own box and still have the ball clipped over you like that?

Peter Musa’s finish from Ivan Perisic’s deft little head-tennis knock-down was still tidy, but they shouldn’t have been allowed the space.

It could also be acknowledged that England’s best spell did coincide with Modric looking so fatigued he had to go off well before the hour.

Barry might well say – and everyone has now seen how very frank he is – the difference was more down to the team not following instruction, and repeatedly taking the wrong options.

They more than got it together.

Whether they can get it together in the same way is another question. England’s second-half transformation was driven by a shift in application, but also a very aggressive press. That was possible in an indoor stadium like this, but will they be able to do the same in humidity and heat?

This isn’t all about the physical though.

It’s also about the psychological.

For all of the evolution over the last decade, England have still had a complex about contests like this; about big games. This looked like it could be a similar story.

Tuchel and his players have instead wrought their first major change.

One promise has been fulfilled.

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — President Donald Trump is not known to be a fan of international gatherings of world leaders, but he changed his tune at this year’s G7 summit at a French Alpine resort, where he was buoyed by support from his counterparts for his tentative agreement with Iran to end the war.

It was an about-face for Trump, who weeks ago had sharply criticized his counterparts for refusing to join the United States and Israel in bombing Iran to force it to abandon its nuclear aspirations — and who last year spent only a day at the G7 summit before cutting out early and going back to Washington.

“We found a great deal of unity here at the G7,” Trump told reporters at the end of the meeting. He said he had heard only positive comments from G7 leaders, who are anxious to see global oil prices drop in the wake of hostilities.

“This meeting could not have come at a better time,” he said.

Here are some takeaways from Trump’s trip this week:

Trump finds his fall guy If the Iran deal doesn’t work out

Trump famously likes to take credit when things work out and avoid blame when they don’t. In the case of the Iran deal, he pointed to Vice President JD Vance as being most likely to be held responsible if things go south.

While Trump was at the G7, Vance was on a media blitz promoting the agreement, which he helped negotiate. He was expected to represent the U.S. at a ceremonial signing in Switzerland on Friday.

Trump was asked by a reporter if there is a scenario in which he looks like a “genius” if he sends Vance to sign the deal and things work out — or he blames his No. 2 if things with Iran ultimately don’t work out.

“I like that idea, sure,” Trump said. “This way, if it works out, I’m going to take the credit. If it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming JD. You better be careful, JD.”

Leaders sing from same song sheet on Iran, Ukraine

The G7 leaders demonstrated notable unity on both Iran and Ukraine, two issues where Trump and his counterparts have been sharply divided.

France’s Emmanuel Macron, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Germany’s Friedrich Merz and the UK’s Keir Starmer all had criticized Trump’s decision to launch the Iran war without consulting allies. But in a joint statement on the final day of the summit, the leaders welcomed the tentative deal. They even noted “the strong leadership of President Trump” made it happen.

Meanwhile, the Europeans managed to get Trump to join G7 leaders in offering “unwavering support for Ukraine.”

Trump has long claimed Ukraine has “no cards” in its war with Russia, and needs to make concessions to Moscow to bring about an endgame.

But the U.S. president joined his fellow leaders to call on countries “to increase the delivery of air defense capacities, additional systems and interceptors, and long-range capabilities” to Ukraine and commend Kyiv “for its resilience and progress on the battlefield in recent months.”

Mixed messages on China

G7 leaders discussed how China is flooding export markets with subsidized products and destroying jobs in their countries.

Macron said Beijing is a key source of global economic imbalances, citing what he described as China’s industrial overcapacity, excessive subsidies and weak domestic consumption.

After the summit, leaders issued a statement saying they were united. “We seek to deter and stand ready to take actions, where necessary in a coordinated manner, against economic coercion,” the statement said.

But Trump undercut that message when he spent a portion of his closing remarks thanking China and Russia — often allies with Iran — for staying “neutral” in the conflict.

Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin “could have made it much more difficult for us” if they got involved. He specifically thanked Xi for not giving or selling weapons to Iran. “I just want to thank them,” Trump said, “because they made it a lot better.”

Talk isn’t cheap

The “let’s chat” informality that’s been a feature of these gatherings since the first one in 1975 proved its worth — notwithstanding the carbon costs of flying in the leaders and their entourages, the security to protect them, the protests they attract and the inconvenience for local people.

By spending nearly three full days with Trump, U.S. allies had ample opportunity to make themselves heard. And the value of that was possibly most evident in their talks on Russia’s war in Ukraine.

European leaders who now are the chief suppliers of military and financial aid to Ukraine felt they’d made headway in demonstrating to Trump that Ukraine does hold some cards and that Russia isn’t assured of victory — contrary to what Trump had heatedly told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last year. Macron invited Zelenskyy to participate in the summit.

Macron gets Trump to stay for the whole summit

Seems all it took was an invitation to dine at the opulent Palace of Versailles, southwest of Paris, after the summit.

After all, Trump said it himself: He’s a fan of beautiful things and his only plan was to fly back to Washington after the conference anyway.

He left last year’s G7 summit in Canada before it was over, but Macron wanted to keep Trump from doing the same thing to him. Their relationship has weathered several ups and downs.

Macron described the dinner as a “convivial” occasion meant to celebrate friendship between France and the United States.

French officials noted that Versailles is where King Louis XVI pledged military support to Benjamin Franklin and the American revolutionaries in 1778.

Macron hosted King Charles III and Queen Camilla there in 2023 for the palace’s 400th anniversary, including dinner in the Hall of Mirrors, one of the features of the palace’s 2,300 rooms.

—-

Superville reported from Geneva. Associated Press writer Collin Binkley in Washington contributed to this report.

Ice cream van owners have raised concerns about discoloured 99 Flakes, describing them as unsellable due to a white tinge.

It is believed the problems stem from wholesalers storing Flakes incorrectly in recent hot weather.

Lawrence Glauser, of Lorenzo’s Ices in East Yorks, thinks the coating is a harmless but unappealing film that appears on chocolate if cocoa butter melts and separates.

One Mr Whippy vendor told The Sun : “We’re coming into summer. If we get a heatwave next week, Flakes are going to fly out.” “People expect Cadbury and I don’t want to use other brands.”

Both vendors claim there has been a quality drop since 99 Flake production moved from the UK to Egypt in 2020.

Cadbury said: “We are reviewing what’s happened to get back to the high-quality people expect from us.”

One Mr Whippy vendor who complained to Cadbury was told to return them to his wholesaler.

Viral Australian Cadbury chocolate bar arrives in the UK

A Cadbury chocolate bar that went viral in Australia is available to buy in the UK, and shoppers are very happy.

The treat is a mix of one of Oz’s most popular sweet flavours, with some added biscuit crunch.

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Shoppers have hailed the Cadbury Caramilk Lotus Biscoff chocolate bar as “amazing” and “yummy” and can now be bought in the UK.

The viral chocolate bar is made of Caramilk, a blend of Cadbury white chocolate and caramelised milk powder.

As well as a sprinkling of Lotus Biscoff biscuits to give a sweet, caramel chocolate taste.

What’s your favourite Cadbury treat? Let us know in the comments.

Last of the Summer Wine, written by Sir Roy Clarke, ran for 31 series from 1973 to 2010, with 295 episodes.

The original cast comprised the likes of Bill Owen, Peter Sallis and Michael Bates, alongside John Coman and Jane Freeman.

Over the years, the series welcomed other members, including Russ Abbot, Jean Alexander, Trevor Bannister, Dame Thora Hird, Burt Kwouk, and Brian Murphy.

The show has been described as a “British institution” by fans and boasts a 7.1-star rating on IMDb.

One viewer commented: “There are very few TV shows that could justifiably claim to be a British institution, but Last of the Summer Wine is certainly one of them.

“Watching Compo and friends on a Sunday evening was a staple of my childhood and I will always remember this show with great fondness.

“Bill Owen and Brian Wilde remain two of my favourite comic actors and few people have ever made me laugh as much as Danny O’Dea did as the hilarious Eli.

“The show never pretended to be anything other than gentle slapstick and needn’t be held to high standards.

“Yes the gags are repetitive and yes the storylines are predictable but this isn’t a problem.

“Last of The Summer Wine is the TV equivalent of comfort food; simple, wholesome and always enjoyable.”

Last of the Summer Wine to return to TV after 16 years

Now, after a 16-year hiatus, the popular sitcom is set to make a return in 2027 as part of a new special on U&GOLD.

The Last Drop of Summer Wine will take viewers back to Yorkshire and explore Sir Roy Clarke’s series, which is the longest-running sitcom in the world.

Director of programming at UKTV, Emma Tibbetts, said: “Last of the Summer Wine is one of the absolute jewels in the crown of U&Gold’s programming, and we want to do tribute to it as best we possibly can with this new retrospective special.

“Viewers are sure to fall in love with this wonderfully funny series and its richly drawn characters all over again.”

In the new special, actor and comedian Brian Conley, who appeared on Last of the Summer Wine in a guest role, will revisit the locations used in the series.

While there, he will meet the families of cast members, residents, and friends of the show.

The film will also feature unseen photos, scripts, and scrapbooks from the personal archives of Sir Roy, along with family photos from the families of Bill Owen, Peter Sallis, Kathy Staff, and the show’s long-term producer and director, Alan JW Bell.

The U&GOLD special, The Last Drop of Summer Wine, will air in 2027. (Image: PA)

Commissioning executive at UKTV, Jason Dawson, said: “Six decades since it began, our viewers are still utterly devoted to Last of the Summer Wine , and we’re honoured to have Sir Roy Clarke, Brian Conley and the brilliant producers at Phil McIntyre working with us to celebrate and reward that devotion with this wonderful film.

“Besides, any excuse to visit Holmfirth right?”

Conley added: “I am delighted to be hosting this look back at the longest-running TV sitcom in the world.

“Getting the chance to share all the amazing stories, the fun, the laughter, and above all the love, was a real honour.”

Sir Roy also said it had “been a pleasure to work on this one”.

He continued: “We’ve squeezed all the juice that we can with love and affection.

“I’ve enjoyed this wander down Memory Lane as I hope the viewers will.”

The Last Drop of Summer Wine is in production now and will air on U&GOLD in 2027.

Hit TV series to return to BBC this summer after 35 years

Another hit TV series is set to return to the BBC this summer after 35 years.

Bergerac was a police drama series set in Jersey, starring John Nettles as DS Jim Bergerac, which ran for nine series on the BBC from 1981 to 1991.

The series returned in 2025 on UKTV with a new reboot series featuring Damien Molony in the lead role.

The reboot also stars Zoë Wanamaker (as Charlie Hungerford), Robert Gilbert (Barney Crozier), Chloé Sweetlove (Kim Bergerac), and Pippa Haywood (Margaret Heaton).

The Bergerac reboot returned for a second series in April 2026.

But after 35 years, Bergerac is set to return to the BBC this summer.

BBC Drama confirmed series one of Bergerac would be “available on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two this summer”.

Episodes from the original Bergerac series air occasionally on U&Drama and can be found on the U streaming service.

Are you a fan of Last of the Summer Wine? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.

In a post announcing its closure, the company said “we have had no choice but to close our doors for good”

A Cambridgeshire-based company has entered liquidation after two and a half years of trading, according to the The London Gazette. The Packaging Factory Limited, based in Windover Road, Huntingdon, officially entered liquidation at the end of May 2026.

Grace Jones and David Perkins, both of Parker Andrews Limited in Norwich, were appointed as joint liquidators of the company on May 29. A notice was subsequently published in The London Gazette a few days later on June 3.

The company specialised in the low-cost manufacture of printed postal packaging. Companies House confirmed that the business is now in liquidation. Documents show that the company was incorporated on January 26, 2024.

In a social media post, the company said: “We have reached the end of the road as a company. We have had no choice but to close our doors for good. It has been an amazing journey and we have laughed, cried and learned a lot.

“Thank you to our amazing suppliers and customers, but most of all thank you to the awesome team that made it a joy to come to work every day.”

Need to know

Police are appealing for information

Police are appealing for information after a report was made of an electric bike being robbed from a truck in Newport. Here’s everything you need to know:

• Gwent Police is appealing for information following a report of a robbery in Nash Road, Newport, at around 4.15pm on Wednesday 17 June.
• Three people, believed to be men, dressed in black wearing balaclavas were reportedly seen in the area and acted in a threatening manner towards a motorist driving a truck which was transporting an electric bike.
• The motorist was unharmed by the men and no injuries have been reported but the men left the area with the electric bike.
• Officers investigating the robbery would like to speak to anyone in the Nash Road area between 4pm and 4.30pm who might be able to assist our enquiries.
• Superintendent Mike Preston said: “We understand that reports like these will prompt concern from our communities so it is possible that you will see officers in this part of the city as we conduct enquiries. If you have any concerns about this report or other matters, then please take the time to talk to our officers. Anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage could hold a piece of information that could assist our investigation, so we would urge you to speak to officers.”
• Call 101, visit our website or send us a direct message on social media quoting log reference 2600190441; you can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously with information.