It took him a bit to get off the mark, but Marcus Rashford finally announced his presence at this year's World Cup.
The Manchester United star grabbed a brace as England cruised to a 3-0 win over Wales to book their spot in the round of 16 and after winning their quartet, are now set to face Senegal in a tantalizing round of 16 clash later this week.
Rashford's first was a sumptous free-kick that left Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward stranded in goal, and following that brilliant effort, the striker fell to his knees in celebration.
Part of his celebration involved him pointing to the sky, which is often viewed as a tribute to someone who passed, and after the match, Rashford was keen on adding some insight into who he was dedicating his goal to.
Heartbreakingly, it was for a close friend of his that had passed away recently, with the Manchester United ace mentioning that his friend succumbed to cancer shortly before the competition.
"Unfortunately I lost one of my friends a couple of days ago. He had a long battle with cancer, I'm pleased that I was able to score for him. He was a great person and I'm just pleased he could come into my life", he remarked in the mixed zone after the game.
Rashford also scored a second goal that was quite significant as it that marks England's 100th at World Cup tournaments. Next up for Gareth Southgate's men will be a clash against recently crowned AFCON winners Senegal, but before them, the team will surely enjoy a day or two of downtime and bask in the glow of their successful group stage campaign.
