The moment came for Dan Burn, making his World Cup debut for England in the most demanding of situations.
Down to 10 men and 3-2 up, needing to protect that lead with half an hour to go.
If England could do so with Burn’s help, they would be through to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup.
The rest is, as they say, history.
Dan Burn and England march on to face Norway on Saturday night at 10pm (UK time) with the winners into the semi-finals.
Speaking of history…
Dan Burn now very much has a place in England’s World Cup history now, whatever happens on Saturday.
Although, with his six clearances, two blocks and a 100 percent success rate in aerial challenges and duels, the Newcastle United star provided just what was needed as Thomas Tuchel’s team progressed into the quarter-finals.
The official FA site has done analysis on the oldest players to make their England World Cup debuts.
At 34 years and 58 days, Dan Burn is fourth on the list (see below).
Before you look, there are three other former Newcastle United players who also make the top 20 when it comes to how old they were when first playing at a World Cup finals for England.
Two of them (who made their England World Cup debuts in 1954 and 1998 respectively) were playing for NUFC at the time, whilst the other was a momentous signing who would join Newcastle United only a few weeks after first playing for England at a World Cup finals in July 1982.
Can you work out who this trio of former Newcastle United stars are, before you look at the list below?
England’s 20 oldest World Cup debutants as listed by Official FA site:
1 – David James v Algeria (18 June 2010) – 39y 321d
2 – Stanley Matthews v Spain (2 July 1950) – 35y 151d
3 – David Seaman v Algeria (15 June 1998) – 34y 269d
4 – Dan Burn v Mexico (6 July 2026) – 34y 58d
5 – Trevor Brooking v Spain (5 July 1982) – 33y 276d
6 – Mick Mills v France (16 June 1982) – 33y 163d
7 – Ashley Young v Tunisia (18 June 2018) – 32y 344d
8 – Peter Shilton v France (16 June 1982) – 32y 271d
9 – Robert Lee v Colombia (26 June 1998) – 32y 145d
10 – Gilbert Merrick v Belgium (17 June 1954) – 32y 142d
11 – Rickie Lambert v Uruguay (19 June 2014) – 32y 123d
12 – Teddy Sheringham v Tunisia (15 June 1998) – 32y 74d
13 – Wilf Mannion v Chile (25 June 1950) – 32y 40d
14 – Phil Jagielka v Italy (14 June 2014) – 31y 301d
15 – Syd Owen v Belgium (17 June 1954) – 31y 261d
16 – Tony Adams v Tunisia (15 June 1998) – 31y 248d
17 – Ivor Broadis v Belgium (17 June 1954) – 31y 181d
18 – Jamie Vardy v Panama (24 June 2018) – 31y 164d
19 – Kevin Keegan v Spain (5 July 1982) – 31y 141d
20 – Phil Neal v France (16 June 1982) – 31y 116d