Thousands of England fans felt like they had won the World Cup by watching the match at the planet’s No1 football party – in 100F heat in a Las Vegas hotel rooftop pool.
They swerved the rain and sky high ticket prices at the New York New Jersey Stadium and paid £30 to view the Panama game on a 135ft x 41ft screen in the sunshine at Stadium Swim on top of the Circa Resort and Casino.
Supporters cheered on the Three Lions from six swimming pools, two spas cabanas and sunloungers at the bash which stretched long into the night.
Between the action they sipped cocktails at swim-up bars, danced to a top DJ and had a flutter in the rooftop casino.
The giant 14 million mega-pixel screen perched high above Vegas delivers pin-sharp pictures even in the glaze of the Nevada desert sun.
Dental treatment consultant Shelley Foster, 40, from Surrey, who was enjoying the party as a 40th birthday treat for her partner Marc Cottrell, said: “Well we certainly got a result. My partner found this place and booked it for us.
“I had no idea what I was coming to but when I walked out onto the roof it took my breath away. You sit in the pool, watch the match and have a beer. And is baking hot - not a cloud in the sky. I guarantee there is nowhere better in the world to be today.”
Her pal Alex Jellye, 29, a school administrator from Surrey, said: “This is heaven on Earth.
"This has got to be the best place on the planet to watch the match. It’s great to see so many other England fans here.
“We’re having a party. You don’t even need to worry about the queue for the bar - staff come round every minute. Or you can just swim up and order another.
“All my friends have told me to stop posting pictures on social media because they’re so jealous. They can’t stand it. I don’t know about England but it feels like I’ve won the World Cup.”
Join Gold Star!
Gold Star is the latest chapter in the evolution of the Daily Star. Our ‘premium’ digital service has launched, offering you even more of our brilliant journalism but with even fewer adverts.
And if you do, this is what you’ll get:
- A new ad-lite subscription service offering unlimited access to Gold Star and our app, as well as a cleaner viewing experience with far fewer ads
- Access to exclusive subscriber-only articles crafted specifically for readers who want their stories to dig a little deeper. This will include unique insight from our writers alongside thought-provoking comment
- Bespoke special offers, rewards and competitions from our partners
- Access our Gold Nuggets, the juiciest picks from the Daily Star - no digging required!
- The most fun you can have with a daily news brand anywhere in the world!
Membership starts at £1.99 a month or £12 for the year. These are both Gold Star launch offers for the next 12 months so make sure you don’t miss out.