Jermain Defoe scored a remarkable brace as England beat World XI 3-2 to take back the Soccer Aid crown.
The Three Lions were beaten comfortably at Old Trafford last time out but roared back to form on return to the nation’s capital.
Defoe played under Harry Redknapp 146 times before hanging up his boots and on their reunion rediscovered the form that made their partnership so effective. He scored twice in two minutes after the break to put the result well out of reach for the World XI, in spite of a threatened late comeback inspired by Michael Essien and Tim Cahill.
Most notably on the day, a staggering £16,462,353 was raised for UNICEF, continuing Soccer Aid’s remarkable charitable form.
Chances were few and far between in a nervous, cagey first half, where both England’s Joe Hart and his opposite number Edwin van der Sar were regularly called into action but not often tested.
Nabhaan Rizwan had a pair of gilt-edge chances to put World XI ahead in the opening exchanges but flouted both and saw his profligacy punished.
With just over half an hour played, F1 movie star Damson Idris latched onto a pass from Defoe before firing home with the outside of his boot to confound the onrushing Van der Sar.
“This is what I do,” he chuckled at full-time. “I come here and I do a job.
“I’ve wanted to be a footballer all my life but I gave that up at 18 to be a bad actor, so it was a dream come true.”
The Idris-inspired England advantage held until half-time and Defoe twisted the knife after it. Van der Sar was replaced at the break by comedian Chris O’Dowd and the Irishman was twice caught out by Defoe.
His two goals came in similar fashion - one close-range chip followed by an inspired 35-yard lob.
England sat back after taking a three-goal advantage and faced a frantic finish after Essien and Cahill both scored past Joe Marler in the dying embers, but saw it out to reclaim the Soccer Aid crown for the first time since 2024.
