England’s dramatic 3-2 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 victory over Mexico was not just celebrated on the pitch. It also sparked a nationwide meme fest online, with fans joking that Monday’s productivity had officially been cancelled.As Thomas Tuchel’s side battled back with 10 men to book a place in the quarter-finals, social media quickly filled with posts about bleary-eyed supporters calling in sick after staying awake through the early hours to watch the nail-biting contest.Fueling the celebrations further was Jude Bellingham himself, who cheekily encouraged supporters to skip work and school to savour the historic night.
‘Text your bosses you’re not coming’
Bellingham, who scored twice in England’s memorable victory at the Azteca Stadium, described the win as the proudest moment of his England career before delivering a message that instantly resonated with supporters.“Text your bosses and tell them you’re not coming in, as 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, kids stay off school, parents don’t go to work, enjoy the day. Be with your friends, go down the pub again if you can, and enjoy it because these nights don’t come along often.”Bellingham also called it “the best night” of his England career, saying he had “never been more proud of a group of lads, a squad, a nation” after England overcame adversity, including Jarell Quansah’s second-half red card, to defeat Mexico and set up a quarter-final clash with Norway.
Starmer and Burnham join the celebrations
The victory also drew praise from political leaders and football figures across England. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed the contest as “one of the greatest England matches I’ve ever seen,” adding: “We are through to the quarter-finals!”Meanwhile, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham celebrated both England’s fighting spirit and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, writing: “Epic from England and Everton’s No. 1.”
Internet declares Monday a ‘no work’ day
While England celebrated qualification for the quarter-finals, social media had another concern—getting through Monday morning.Within minutes of the final whistle, X and Instagram were flooded 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 to no sleep after the 1 am UK kick-off.Many fans joked that Bellingham had given them the perfect excuse to miss work. One X user wrote, “Anyone else doing no work at all today?”Another post that quickly gained traction joked about supporters who celebrated until dawn after pubs across England and Wales were allowed to stay open until 5 am.“England fans were celebrating their win outside bars that stayed open until 5am!! If any of those guys turn up to work in a few hours, it’s going to be VERY messy.”Others shared memes featuring sleepy employees, coffee-fuelled offices and fictional “national sick days,” with many claiming England’s victory had effectively turned Monday into an unofficial holiday.
Why fans stayed up all night
England’s knockout clash kicked off at 1 am UK time, with the match stretching well into the early hours.Anticipating huge crowds, the UK government temporarily relaxed licensing rules, allowing pubs across England and Wales to remain open until 5 am so supporters could watch the entire match and celebrate afterwards.
