Prince William demonstrated his passionate support for England's football team by sending a congratulatory message at 4.15am shortly after their dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico in the World Cup. The FA patron's early-morning tweet read: "Well done England! Bring on the quarter final!"
England's Dramatic Win Over Mexico
Thomas Tuchel's side progressed to the quarter-finals following a tense match in Mexico City. The Three Lions initially seized control through a quick-fire brace from Jude Bellingham, only for the hosts to halve the deficit before half-time. Shortly after the interval, England defender Jarell Quansah was shown a straight red card, but a Harry Kane penalty extended the side's lead. Mexico subsequently scored a spot kick of their own to set up a tense final chapter, which England survived to make it a World Cup game to remember.
The drama played out during the early hours in the UK, with weather delaying kick-off until 2am on Monday. Despite the late hour, Prince William was among the committed fans who stayed awake to watch the match. Bars and pubs were also full of supporters after opening hours were extended until 5am.
England's Quarter-Final Opponent
The win over Mexico means England will face Norway in the quarter-finals on Saturday, with kick-off set for 10pm UK time. Norway advanced to the last eight with a famous 2-1 victory over Brazil.
Prince William's Football Passion
The Prince of Wales previously showed his passion for football by travelling to Istanbul to watch his beloved Aston Villa win the Europa League in May. He has not attended a World Cup since 2010 but admitted that could change if England reach the final this month. During an appearance on the New Heights podcast, William discussed the Three Lions' prospects of lifting the iconic 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."
Royal Family and Football
The prince will hope to have another reason to celebrate after England's showdown with Norway at the weekend. However, his love of the beautiful game is not necessarily shared by the King. When asked if his father had influenced William's decision to become a Villa fan, 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."
