Monday Morning Memories for England Fans
Monday morning was unforgettable for England supporters following the Three Lions' dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico, which secured their place in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Fans endured a 02:00 BST kickoff, gathering in crowded pubs, celebrating quietly at home, or waking up disappointed after sleeping through the match.
Here are the stories shared by fans across the country.
Schools Watch the Game "As-Live"
At Malmesbury Church of England Primary School in Wiltshire, pupils arrived early to watch the game "as-live" so they could enjoy the experience together as a community.
When Jude Bellingham scored two goals within two minutes in the first half, one pupil told the BBC it was "looking really" good for England, though they had a feeling Mexico might win.
When the final whistle blew, pupils celebrated as if they had watched the game live.
"It was better [watching] with my friends than it was with my parents," one pupil said.
Meanwhile, at Castleway Primary in Leasowe, Wirral, children were warned they would lose playtime for the rest of the week if they spoiled the result for others.
An incredible night when England heroes were made.
Who produced another iconic performance? England player ratings.
'An Incredible Evening'
A 22:00 kickoff for England's quarter-final against Norway on Saturday is more reasonable compared to Monday's late start.
Pubs nationwide remained open all night after a government U-turn allowed them to stay open until 05:00.
About 350 people watched the game at the Brittania Inn in St Austell, Cornwall.
Landlord Phil Lafferty described it as "an incredible evening and something we have never done before." He added,
"Japan in 2002 was something else, playing at 06:00, but nothing like this. It was amazing."
Sarah Badrock, manager of The Ship Inn in Trefin, Pembrokeshire, was among the few Welsh pubs open until 05:00. She offered a free drink for every goal scored, but only four people attended, including actor Keith Allen, who wrote the iconic 1998 England World Cup song "Vindaloo."
Thea Barratt, owner of Cramptons Sports Bar in Broadstairs, Kent, said,
"I took more money than I did on New Year's Eve."
The bar added extra portaloos and an outside bar to accommodate more patrons. Thea expects to surpass Monday's takings for Saturday's quarter-finals, saying,
"Long may they [England] continue and hopefully get to the final."
England's Run 'Beyond Magical'
Not only adults stayed up late; young fans also joined the excitement.
Eight-year-old Wren was not supposed to be awake for the late-night match, but his mother Jess Clarke woke him to celebrate.
Jess told the BBC,
"It was incredible, my son and I were jumping up and down hugging each other singing Wonderwall - it was just a dream."
She described England's World Cup success so far as "beyond magical."
'I Watched the Match Over a Taxi Driver's Shoulder'
Michelle from Evesham watched part of the game in a car park at Birmingham Airport while waiting to pick up her husband, accompanied by their two daughters.
Trying to rest, they were interrupted by cheers, prompting Michelle to approach a taxi driver watching the game on his phone.
She told BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine,
"There was a couple of cheers and I jumped out of the car and... ran over to a taxi driver who was watching it on his phone, so I managed to get the second goal and then also our penalty."
She added,
"I got so excited when Harry Kane scored that I hit the guy on the shoulder."
Unfortunately, Michelle could not watch the entire game as the taxi driver had to resume his duties.
'I Slept In and Missed It All'
Some fans were unable to stay awake, including former Olympian and BBC radio presenter Katharine Merry.
She explained,
"I ploughed on through yesterday, thinking I'm not going to take a tactical nap."
However, with the kickoff delayed from 01:00 to 02:00, her husband took a nap, and she eventually fell asleep as well.
She recalled,
"Half past one I was still awake, all still bright-eyed, and kind of bushy-tailed, and then I went horizontal and dozed off. My husband never came back. I woke up at 06:30 and missed everything."
'Cushions Were Thrown'
Supporters watching at home faced the challenge of celebrating quietly to avoid waking sleeping children.
BBC journalist Owen Amos watched the game "as-live" from 03:30 before starting work early.
He described his reactions,
"I performed a silent leap off the sofa as Bellingham scored his first, which was rapidly followed by a wild (but equally silent) fist pumping when the second goal went in less than a minute later."
When Mexico scored,
"cushions were thrown"
and there was a quiet "peep of dissent when England's Jarell Quansah was sent off," he said.
Despite VAR's efforts, Amos managed to keep the volume down and his sons remained asleep.
Elsewhere, BBC Look North journalist Mark Ansell enforced a strict no-phone policy to prevent spoilers as four families watched the game on playback from 06:00.
He commented,
"Six adults skipped to work, happier than ever as our dream of a World Cup win continues."
'We Watched the Game on Our Night Shift'
Jude Bellingham, man of the match, advised,
"Text your bosses and tell them you're not coming in."
While some industries could not offer flexibility, others allowed later starts to accommodate fans.
Workers at a distribution centre in Rochdale watched the game during their shift.
One worker said,
"It's not good for my heart, but football's my heart."
Joshua Elash, head of London-based MT Finance Group, permitted staff to start work at 11:00, calling it a "no-brainer" and beneficial for morale despite potential reduced productivity.
Octopus Energy allowed engineers to begin home visits later, and customer service staff could adjust their hours.
Kevin Craig, CEO of communications agency PLMR and a football fan, allowed his approximately 100 employees across four offices to start at noon if they wished to watch the match.
He said,
"I just instinctively knew it was the right thing to do. We try to be pro-family alongside making money. I know it's not possible for all organisations in the land but... these days are special."
However, supermarkets Sainsbury's and Aldi, as well as car manufacturer Nissan, operated as usual on Monday.
'Ten Espressos and a Red Bull Chaser'
Parents who stayed up late might relate to Labour MP for Walthamstow Stella Creasy, who tweeted at 03:28 BST,
"I have no idea how I do the school run this morning after a red card and a penalty… Like having had ten espressos and a red bull chaser."
BBC DJ Sara Cox shared that her husband, who slept downstairs to avoid disturbing her Radio 2 debut, had the result spoiled by cheering neighbours chanting,
"Where were you when we won 3-2."
How did you watch the game - and how are you feeling now? Are you croaky like Harry Kane? Send us your stories and pictures here, external.
- England win epic tie against Mexico to reach quarter-finals
- How Mexico's World Cup run brought joy after a year of fear
