IT WAS CANADA DAY ON Saturday, an appropriate moment for Owen Hargreaves to stamp his authority — more constructively than Wayne Rooney — on the World Cup finals.

Born and raised in Calgary, resident in Germany and favoured by a Swede, winning over England supporters has been a bitter trial for the midfield player, but finally he was embraced and lauded in Gelsenkirchen.

Jeered by fans earlier in the competition, Hargreaves has suffered for his background, lack of visibility, his emblematic status for the Sven-Göran Eriksson era and for being exiled out of position, but his effectiveness against Portugal was astonishing. Starting in his preferred holding role, he found time to offer potency in attack, before converting England’s only successful penalty.

“There were some performances which defied logic and Owen was incredible, amazing,” Gary Neville said. “He has come back from being booed on to the pitch to having his name sung and that should continue. Sometimes during a football match you don’t notice good performances, but you could see his tackling, his effort. It was everything you’d want an England player to give.”

Stationed in front of the defence, Hargreaves, 25, undermined Portuguese composure, disrupting their attacks and surging forward when the circumstances permitted. “It’s what I do best, winning tackles and getting about, and we needed that when we went down to ten men,” he said. On this form, he has achieved the allegedly impossible and broken into England’s gilded midfield.

It may have been the most dominant piece of individualism since David Beckham tore into Greece in 2001; opinions were revised and reversed. “Our fans are the best in the world, so to have them singing my name is a dream come true for me,” Hargreaves said. “I wasn’t even aware of it at the time, but I found out about it straight after the game.

“I’m very happy that the tide has turned in that respect and I hope it helps me for the rest of my England career.”

When the end came, Hargreaves was in tears, but perceptions had been changed. “I said to Owen, ‘You could not have done any more on that football pitch.’ ” Neville said.