Prince William’s instant reaction to England win speaks volumes | Football | Sport
Prince William showed his fervent support after England triumphed over Mexico at the World Cup. Thomas Tuchel’s squad advanced to the quarter-finals after a thrilling 3-2 victory in Mexico City.
The Three Lions initially took command of the fixture through a rapid double from Jude Bellingham, only for the hosts to reduce the margin before half-time. Shortly after the break, England defender Jarell Quansah received a straight red card but a Harry Kane penalty stretched the side’s advantage. Mexico then converted a spot kick of their own to establish a nervous finale for England, who withstood the pressure and made it a World Cup game to savour. The action unfolded during the early hours in the UK, with the weather postponing kick-off until 2am on Monday. However, Prince William demonstrated his dedication by being among the devoted supporters who stayed awake to witness the victory.
William was presumably one of many dedicated England supporters who followed the action live. Bars and pubs were also packed with fans after opening hours were prolonged until 5am.
England’s victory over Mexico sets up a quarter-final clash with Norway on Saturday, with kick-off scheduled for 10pm UK time. Norway booked their place in the last eight with a remarkable 2-1 triumph over Brazil.
The Prince of Wales has previously demonstrated his passion for the beautiful game by travelling to Istanbul to witness his beloved Aston Villa clinch the Europa League in May. He has not attended a World Cup since 2010, but has admitted that could change should England reach the final this month.
During an appearance on the New Heights podcast, William spoke about the Three Lions’ chances of lifting the coveted trophy. “I always felt like we had a really good chance,” he said.
“But as each World Cup goes on and the results don’t quite go your way… A little bit of hope gets chipped away each time. Yeah. And so I’m just, you know, I’m taking it calmly and quietly and like, come on, we’re going to do well and see how we go. But I am quietly confident, I think.”
The Prince will be hoping for further cause for celebration when England take on Norway at the weekend. However, William’s enthusiasm for football is not shared by the King.
When asked whether his father had played any role in shaping his decision to support Villa, he told the New Heights podcast: “Absolutely not. My father hates football. My family haven’t got a particularly long history with football.
“There are a few of us who support teams. My football love came from friends taking me to my first match and at school growing up. You can’t avoid the football chat. It’s everywhere. And some school friends or childhood friends of mine took me to my first game.”
