Jordan Henderson required oxygen after he was carried off on a stretcher following England’s chaotic World Cup win against Mexico.
Two goals from Jude Bellingham and a Harry Kane penalty ultimately helped the Three Lions edge a five-goal thriller, having been forced to play much of the second half with 10 men following Jarell Quansah’s red card.
As England’s players celebrated with their fans following the final whistle, singing along to Wonderwall in now customary fashion, scenes of jubilation turned to concern as medics rushed to treat Henderson.
The Brentford midfielder, who didn’t manage to get on the pitch during the game but still earned a caution for remonstrating with the assistant referee, was carried away in front of his teammates but skipper Harry Kane provided an upbeat bulletin in his post-match interview.
Don’t miss a World Cup moment
What a rollercoaster this has been. Make sense of the drama with Metro’s free daily newsletter, featuring England updates, match previews and exclusive analysis. Sign up now.
He said: ‘Jordan [Henderson] just fell over there, I think he’s okay, just something to do with his arm.’
Thomas Tuchel, however, has a less positive prognosis, saying: ‘Jordan is not good. I have a defender with a red card. He has injured his wrist. It looks really bad.’
Kane, meanwhile, could hardly speak in a bizarre interview having almost lost his voice, but was just about able to articulate his admiration for a group of players who had to dig deep to achieve a result the face of such adversity.
He said: ‘It was a crazy game. We had to fight and we had to find something.
‘I’ve just been singing, I can’t really talk. The occasion, the team, everything against us, we found a way.’
Having restored England’s two-goal lead with a well taken penalty shortly after Quansah’s dismissal, Kane turned villain by conceding the spot kick from which Raul Jimenez reduced the deficit.
Kane added: ‘I thought I got to the ball first, it was one of those days. The ref gave a lot against us. In the end it didn’t matter so I’m happy.’
While Kane and Bellingham are likely to earn the majority of the plaudits having dovetailed so effectively in attack again, this was the ultimate team effort, typified by the spirit shown by late substitutes Dan Burn, Djed Spence and John Stones.
‘From the off the way that England tried to manage the game, the energy and taking the game to Mexico in really difficult circumstances,’ Alan Shearer told the BBC.
‘Then to get the two goals, then to be hurt so soon afterwards and going into half time at 2-1.
‘The second half started positive but then the red card and a penalty and you thought, ‘what else is going against us?’
‘The way they stuck together and the manager’s substitutions to go five at the back at the end, then Pickford was brilliant, a few great saves and coming out and taking the pressure off the defence when he could. Every single one of them was superb.’