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Fans celebrate Three Lions success in Times Square

Tom MacDougallNorth East and Cumbria
Owen Humphreys/PA A crowd of England supporters - men and women - dressed in red and white kit shirts, some wearing St George's Cross face paint, and cheering with their fists in the air.Owen Humphreys/PA
Crowds gathered in Newcastle to watch England in their 2026 World Cup debut

England kicked off their performance in the 2026 World Cup with a 4-2 win over Croatia on Wednesday night.

The Three Lions played at Dallas Stadium in Texas, their first stride towards the possibility of bringing it home.

The last time was in 1966, which was another 4-2 victory against West Germany - could it be a sign?

Times Square in Newcastle was packed with fans who certainly hope so...

Owen Humphreys/PA A table of fans who are wearing headbands with little England flags sticking out from them or wearing England flag-themed cowboy hats.Owen Humphreys/PA
There were plenty of St George's Crosses to be seen in the crowd.
Owen Humphreys/PA A man standing from his table and cheering with his fist in the air. In his other hand there is a phone, so he may have actually been taking a video or call. Who can say for sure?Owen Humphreys/PA
Looks like this fan was practising his celebratory poses before the match. He soon got chance to use them when England captain Harry Kane scored in the 12th minute with a penalty kick.
Mark Denten/BBC A smiling Croatian fan, wearing her red-and-white chequered kit shirt with a denim jacket over the top.Mark Denten/BBC
This fan was Team Croatia, having moved to Newcastle from Zagreb. She said it was tricky as her team was "getting booed left, right, and centre". But she got her own chance to celebrate when Croatia's Martin Baturina equalised in the 36th minute.
Owen Humphreys/PA A table of cheering spectators, one with an England flag painted on his cheek. The man on the left is looking down and appears to be swallowing hard. In the middle of the table are four pitchers of beer.Owen Humphreys/PA
Then, England pulled ahead again with Kane scoring another at 42'...it looked like this lad on the left was struggling to keep his excitement down.
Owen Humphreys/PA A man with the word "England" painted across his forehead stares intensely at the game with his hands behind his head. Behind him, a man who appears somewhat agitated points at the screen.Owen Humphreys/PA
But at half time, the score was 2-2 after Croatia's Petar Musa nabbed another at 45+5'. These local strategists were feeling the tension.
Owen Humphreys/PA A group of exhilarant fans grabbing each other and cheering. Owen Humphreys/PA
But England kicked it into another gear, with their aggressive performance earning a goal from Jude Bellingham at 47' and another from Marcus Rashford at 85' - securing that 4-2 finish.
Three men stood in a group after the match, all three looking particularly jubilant.
These analysts said it was a "shambles" that victory had hung in balance, "but now we've beaten them, we can go and win the whole thing".
A woman stood in the square as the crowds thin out into the night.
This slightly more cautious fan said, before the match, she had "a bit of nerves". But after the win, she had "got faith" and was "so excited".
Two men in white kit shirts - one looking slightly disorientated and the other pointing with assertion - as they discuss their predictions for England.
You've heard it here first... the prediction from this pair is an England v France final - with a 2-1 victory for England. Let's see how well it ages.
Owen Humphreys/PA Two people queuing at a food stand with a sign which reads: "Chicken Ting". Owen Humphreys/PA
This pair were hungry for success - and fried chicken, apparently.

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