Twitter reacts to the five-year-old that has captured the hearts of football fans leads out the Three Lions alongside his idol.
Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe celebrates after the game
Jermain Defoe got his first England game in over three years against Lithuania, scoring the opener in the World Cup qualifier.
Yet all the talk before and during the match was about Bradley Lowery, the terminally ill Sunderland fan who has captured the hearts and imagination of football supporters this season.
The five-year-old has neuroblastoma, a common form of cancer in children, and has struck up a friendship with Defoe who described the youngster as his “best mate”.
The striker was recently pictured visiting Bradley in hospital when the young Black Cats fan fell asleep snuggled up against his idol.
England’s Jermain Defoe during training
He was delighted to learn of Defoe’s return to the England squad and selection against Lithuania, and that he would be leading the team out alongside the 34-year-old.
Before netting his 20th goal for his country, the last time the forward had scored for the Three Lions came back in 2010 – before Bradley was even born.
Here is what Twitter made of the duo:
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