It was shortly after 4 a.m. British time when Prince William (44) spoke up - and quite personally. Just a few minutes after England's national team had defeated Mexico 3-2, the British heir to the throne sent a congratulatory message to the Three Lions.

On the Instagram account princeandprincessofwales and on X, the Prince celebrated Thomas Tuchel's (52) team: Well done, England! And further, accompanied by an England flag emoji: On to the quarterfinals! That the lines apparently came from him personally and not from the palace team was made clear by William with a small but telling detail: He signed with a simple W.

Next Stop: Miami

The victory in the venerable Azteca Stadium in Mexico City takes the English into the quarterfinals. In front of around 3,000 English fans in the stands, the Three Lions were able to decide the match in their favor, according to The Sun, thanks in part to goals by Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane. The fact that the English played with reduced numbers at times makes the achievement all the more remarkable. The journey continues next Saturday in Miami - then Norway awaits, having defeated Brazil in the round of 16.

An Heir to the Throne as a Fan

That William gets emotional about the game is no secret. The Prince is not only an ardent supporter but also patron of the English Football Association FA. Just this past May, he was able to lift a trophy himself: After the Europa League triumph of his beloved club Aston Villa, he held the cup in his hands - and was visibly moved in the stands.

How much the World Cup means to him, William had already hinted at the previous week. In the Kelce brothers' podcast, he revealed, according to BBC, that only one result counts for him: the title. Should England reach the final in New Jersey in two weeks, he would even travel to the USA for it.

Quietly confident

Even before the Mexico match, the Prince had a good feeling. England has a really good chance, he felt - while remaining deliberately composed. I'm taking it calm and relaxed, and, come on, we'll do well and see how it goes. But I think I'm quietly confident, said William according to The Sun.

He also attributed his optimism to the coach's approach. Thomas Tuchel, the manager, the coach, has gotten them into really good shape. The team is playing with more freedom and more flow, the heir to the throne raved. The predecessor had a different approach: Gareth's philosophy was very much focused on defense. If we don't concede goals, we win.

William also had words of praise for host USA. The World Cup is fantastic and brilliant: It's gotten off to a really good start, and I think the tournament is well balanced.