Alan Shearer believes Englands leading players made the difference as the Three Lions secured top spot in Group L with a 2-0 win over Panama at the World Cup. After a frustrating first hour in New York, England finally broke through when Jude Bellingham reacted quickest from a corner to score the opening goal. Harry Kane then doubled the advantage with a header to ensure Thomas Tuchels side finished first in the group.Speaking on BBC Sport, former England captain Shearer felt Englands star names were decisive in unlocking stubborn opposition.The most important thing is winning the game, said Shearer.You always want the performance as well, but that doesnt always happen. England got the result and they did it through the quality of players like Bellingham, Kane and Elliot Anderson.Every successful team relies on its best players at key moments and England are no different.Table of ContentsDefensive concerns remain despite clean sheetKnockout stage awaits for Group L winnersDefensive concerns remain despite clean sheetWhile pleased with the outcome, Shearer felt England still showed some vulnerabilities at the back that stronger opponents may look to exploit in the knockout rounds.Panama created a handful of openings during the match and Shearer highlighted Marc Guhis recovery pace as an important factor in helping England avoid conceding.There were one or two moments where England got themselves into trouble, he said.I thought Marc Guhi dealt with those situations really well and used his pace effectively.But if England allow teams the same opportunities later in the tournament, they could be punished. Thats something theyll need to improve as the competition progresses.Knockout stage awaits for Group L winnersThe victory ensured England avoided finishing second in the group and secured what is expected to be a more favourable path into the knockout stages.Tuchels side must now wait to discover their opponents in the last 32, with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Senegal among the possible challengers.Despite Englands performance falling short of their best, Shearer believes there were several encouraging signs heading into the next phase of the tournament.The positives are clear, he said.Kane got his goal, Bellingham scored and provided an assist, and I thought Elliot Anderson was outstanding in midfield.England have won the group and built confidence. Thats a good place to be heading into the knockout rounds. Topics England National Football Team Harry Kane Jude Bellingham Add us as a preferred source on Google If you enjoy reading this article, you can help support our independent football journalism by adding 101 Great Goals as a preferred source You Should Also Read World Cup 2026: Last 32 ties confirmed as group stage ends Tom Rostance 28th June, 2026 Jude Bellingham makes Harry Kane claim: Hes the best England player of all time Ben Miller 28th June, 2026 World Cup 2026: Where to watch England and Scotland games on TV, full BBC and ITV listings, confirmed channels, schedule, live online streams, kick off times Ben Miller 28th June, 2026 FIFA World Cup 2026: Full England fixtures, results, schedule, confirmed squad, next match, kick off times Ben Miller 28th June, 2026 Panama v England: Live World Cup 2026 commentary, updates, goals and stats as it happened Jon Fisher 28th June, 2026 England 2-0 Panama: World Cup 2026 report, result, goals as Bellingham and Kane score to give Three Lions top spot Ben Miller 28th June, 2026
