WAHT A BELLTER

Jude shines to finally put focus on Beautiful Game

IF IT hadn’t been illegal, Jude Bellingham might as well have sat in the centre circle and lit up a big fat cigar.

As it happens, he had to settle for smokin’ the Iranians instead, with the sort of performance that served notice to the rest of the world.

How Qatar 2022 needed some fabulous football to break out following weeks of headlines for all the wrong reasons.

We’ve had the constant narrative of a nation not fit to host this World Cup.

And thanks to a certain Gianni Infantino, we’ve had it confirmed that FIFA don’t appear fit to run the tournament either.

What could possibly go wrong then, eh?

Stupid scenarios like the one just before kick-off, that’s what, when England were one of several big nations told not to wear ‘OneLove’ armbands, otherwise serious sanctions like player bookings would be forthcoming.

The FA went down without a fight – and produced the sort of pathetic reverse-ferret former Prime Minister Liz Truss would have been proud of.