Reece James remained composed, barely celebrating his first ever goal for England.
After a 910-day absence due to injury, James was given his first England start against Latvia by manager Thomas Tuchel.
James justified his selection by scoring a fantastic free-kick from 25 yards, opening the scoring and becoming the first defender to score a direct free-kick at Wembley since 1992.
His free-kick expertly curled over the wall and into the top right corner, leaving the Latvian goalkeeper stunned.
Despite the significance of the goal, James`s celebration was muted, as he simply walked away without even a smile.
Teammates, including a beaming Declan Rice, quickly surrounded James to celebrate.
Fans online had mixed reactions to his understated celebration, with some praising his coolness and others finding it unusual.
Commentator Roy Keane likened the free-kick to those of David Beckham, highlighting the difficulty and precision of the shot.
England went on to win 3-0, with later goals from Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze.
James was named England`s player of the match, marking his 18th international cap with an exceptional performance.
Statistically, James completed 96 out of 97 passes in the game.
Injury has plagued James`s career, with his last England start dating back to September 2022.
He missed a significant part of last season due to hamstring surgery and has been gradually reintroduced to Chelsea`s first team by Enzo Maresca.
James explained his subdued celebration to ITV, stating it had been a long and frustrating two years for him. He was happy to be back and felt confident about bending the free-kick into the net, though surprised it went in.
He praised Thomas Tuchel`s clear ideas and focus on the upcoming World Cup.
Tuchel expressed his delight for James, acknowledging his talent and performance.
Speaking after the match, James said it had been a long time and he was very happy to be back playing for his country under Thomas Tuchel.
Tuchel added that he was aware of James`s quality and was very pleased with his performance.
