It may have been a dead rubber, but England's 4-0 win over Iceland in the Nations League on Wednesday will at least take its place in the Three Lions' history books as a trio of teenagers scored for their country for the first time since 1884.
Manchester City's Phil Foden was the star man, netting his first and second goals for the senior side as the 10 men of Iceland wilted in the second half following Birkir Mar Saevarsson's red card soon after the interval. By that time the visitors were already trailing 2-0 at Wembley Stadium following goals from midfield duo Declan Rice and Mason Mount.
Here are the key talking points and issues from the game.
Can England play like this every game?
Firstly the disclaimer: England are not going to play many teams as bad as this Iceland side, with nothing to play for and looking more League D than League B, particularly in the non-qualifier competitive games that will define Gareth Southgate's regime. Having said that would it really be such an ineffectual approach to try the more adventurous version of the 3-4-3 that has Mount alongside one more defensive-minded midfielder rather than two shuttlers?
That one change alone gave England so much more verve in their build-up play with Mount able to commit an opponent, ghost past them and ensure he and his teammates were running at a bedraggled defense. Similarly when the Three Lions advanced down the flank the Chelsea midfielder had an impressive ability to find space, typified with a second goal, even if that came with a generous dollop of ineptitude from the Icelandic backline.
Whilst England probably will not face teams as accommodating as Iceland at the European Championships when they play this more attacking lineup they can force more mistakes and more fear from their opponents. What was apparent on Sunday was that Belgium were all too willing to let their opponents have the ball because they did not really fear what a midfield of Jordan Henderson and Rice could do to them.
England's two goals come from two close friends, no big deal. pic.twitter.com/ezwB5FlATp
— Champions League on CBS Sports (@UCLonCBSSports) November 18, 2020
Simply put when it comes to knockout tournament football if a team does not score they will be reliant on the whims of a penalty shootout. England have too much attacking talent to not at least try to beat any opponent in 90 minutes.
Saka playing his way into the Euros XI
If England are to make their 3-4-3 work in an attacking sense then Bukayo Saka could be the man to add punch down the left flank. It is a role he has already fulfilled with Mikel Arteta at Arsenal for some time, impressing at club level for his defensive work rate and attacking thrust.
There was not much cause to display the former against Iceland but as an attacker he proved he could be England's most formidable wing-back, not least because of his burgeoning understanding with Jack Grealish. When the Aston Villa man drifted infield Saka pinned back his full-back toward the byline but there were other occasions when the wing-back was charging into the box with abandon.
That speaks to the versatility with which Saka has been approaching a nominal wing-back position with Arsenal. At times Arteta might ask him to function wide left, on other occasions to drift infield and play as a third midfielder. Such tactical flexibility is not easily put into action at international level with so many fewer training sessions but as an option in the squad and even starting XI Saka has the maturity and composure that will allow Southgate to change his approach midmatch.
He still must improve his finishing and the composure he displays on and off the pitch is not quite as present when the ball breaks to him in the box. It is fair to assume that repetition will bring that for Saka.
Iceland's fall emphasizes how high they rose
This may feel like the ending of a glorious era for the Icelandic national team. After performing so superbly at Euro 2016 and then qualifying for the World Cup, they are slipping away from Europe's top tier, relegated with a whimper and a string of clumsy fouls in yet another comprehensive defeat.
The next Nations League cycle will see them face off against the likes of Sweden, the Czech Republic and Norway rather than Belgium and England. But then by rights a tiny nation of 350,000 should never have risen so high. They have none of the inbuilt advantages of a successful domestic scene, generations of footballing heritage or even just one or two world-class players.
Their rise to the highest peaks of the European game was a tribute to investment in year-round facilities in a nation where little football can be played outdoors for almost half the year as well a coaching staff of Lars Lagerback and Heimir Hallgrimsson that understood how best to marshal their limited resources.
There will eventually be a blank canvas for Erik Hamren's successor to build on with so many veteran players in tonight's side but whoever comes next will face an almighty task in matching the heroics of their predecessors.
Notable performances
Phil Foden: One of a string of players tonight who should have England supporters salivating for the World Cups of 2022 and 2026 as much as next summer's European Championships. On the basis of tonight's excellent brace he could well be ready to play a role at that tournament but imagine how good the 20-year-old could eventually be? RATING: 8
Birkir Mar Saevarsson: A torrid night for the veteran full-back, who had to contend not only with Saka but with Jack Grealish as well. The silver lining to his 54th minute red card is it gave him an early escape route from a grueling examination. RATING: 4
Harry Maguire: Perhaps no performance more effectively emphasized the limitations of Iceland like Maguire's rebirth as a roving center-back. It's not something he will be able to reprise very often but he certainly seemed to relish the freedom of Wembley in the first half. RATING: 7
Up next
Iceland will compete in League B next season having been relegated without a point to their name. They also will not feature in Euro 2020 after losing their qualification playoff to Hungary.
Having finished behind Belgium and Denmark in Group A2, England's focus will turn to Euro 2020, where they will face Croatia, Scotland and the Czech Republic. Both countries will begin their World Cup qualification process in March.
