England fans celebrate their victory outside pubs.
England’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 was more than just a celebration on the pitch. It also sparked a nationwide online festival, with fans joking that Monday’s production had officially been cancelled.As Thomas Tuchel’s side battled down to ten men for a place in the quarter-finals, social media was quickly filled with posts of teary-eyed fans calling in sick after staying awake through the early hours to watch the thrilling match.Jude Bellingham himself was one of the brightest celebrations, cheekily encouraging his supporters to skip work and school to enjoy the historic night.
“Text your bosses that you won’t be coming.”
Bellingham, who scored twice in England’s memorable win at the Estadio Azteca, described the win as the proudest moment of his England career before delivering a message that immediately resonated with fans.“Send a text to your bosses and tell them you won’t come, simple as that,” the Real Madrid midfielder said after the match.
The 22-year-old added that England fans deserved to enjoy the occasion after years of heartbreak.“So, yeah, the kids stay out of school, the parents don’t go to work, and they enjoy their day. Be with your friends, go to the bar again if you can, and enjoy it because these nights don’t come very often.”Bellingham also described it as the “best night” of his England career, saying he had “never been prouder of a group of players, a team and a nation” after England overcame adversity, including Jarrell Quansah’s second-half red card, to overcome Mexico and face Norway in the quarter-finals.
Starmer and Burnham join the celebrations
The win also won praise from political leaders and football figures across England. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed the contest as “one of the greatest England games I’ve ever seen”, adding: “We’re through to the quarter-finals!”Meanwhile, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham celebrated the fighting spirit of England and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, writing: “An epic from England and Everton’s No.1.
1.”
The Internet declares Monday a “No Work Day.”
While England celebrated progressing to the quarter-finals, social media had another concern: qualification on Monday morning.Within minutes of the final whistle, X and Instagram were filled with memes showing exhausted workers asleep at their desks, people pretending to work after staying up all night, and jokes about entire offices running on little or no sleep after the 1am kick-off in the UK.Many fans joked that Bellingham gave them the perfect excuse to miss work. One X user wrote: “Is there anyone else who is not doing any work at all today?”
Another post that quickly gained attention joked about supporters partying until dawn after pubs across England and Wales were allowed to stay open until 5am.“English fans were celebrating their win outside pubs that stayed open until 5am! If any of these guys turned up for work in a few hours, it would be very chaotic.”
Others shared memes showing sleepy staff, coffee-filled desks and fictional “national sick days”, with many claiming England’s victory had turned Monday into an unofficial holiday.
Why fans stayed up all night
The knockout match in England started at 1am UK time, and the match extended into the early hours.Anticipating huge crowds, the UK government temporarily relaxed licensing rules, allowing pubs across England and Wales to stay open until 5am so fans can watch the entire match and celebrate afterwards.
