Eric Dier leaps to score the winning goal after England staged a stunning second-half comeback against Germany in the friendly at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. 

The story of this fightback was so implausible, so entirely out of the ordinary and crammed into the most exhilarating half-hour period of Roy Hodgson's reign, it demands an automatic place in the list of great England occasions. Two-nil down, playing the World Cup winners in Berlin, England's response spoke volumes for the spirit of togetherness Hodgson has been trying to foster and provided a victory that will be remembered with the kind of fondness usually reserved for the 5-1 win in Munich from an entirely different era.

When England are capable of these performances it is difficult not to feel a sudden wave of optimism about the team's chances in Euro 2016. They had Germany rattled even before Eric Dier headed in the game's decisive moment on the back of the goals from Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy, a 71st-minute substitute, that had started the recovery and panicked Joachim Löw's team in a way many thought could never happen. Hodgson still has some work to do with his defence but that would be nitpicking after a win of this nature and when Kane and Vardy can excel in this company it feels perplexing, in the extreme, that Hodgson may contemplate shoehorning Wayne Rooney back into his team.

Vardy's goal, in particular, was a piece of improvisational brilliance to flick in Nathaniel Clyne's right-wing cross, at high speed, from behind his standing leg and on the half-volley. Vardy had been on the pitch only two minutes and when that made it 2-2 it was thrilling to see the way England wanted more. Dele Alli, playing with a peacock-like spread of feathers, wafted one chance over an exposed net for a miss that was completely out of place with the rest of his display. Yet England still pushed forward, attacking from every angle, and no one could argue Dier's header was undeserved, just as the public announcer was letting the crowd know there would be three minutes of stoppage time.

The only possible disappointment could be that England provided one of their most illuminating performances of the 21st century wearing a garish all-red shirt and shorts combination with blue socks and patches on the shoulders that must rank as the worst kit in the team's history. Yet Hodgson, one imagines, would probably accept them wearing pink polka dots if it meant them playing with this confidence in every match. His team knocked the ball around in a way that seemed beyond them when they were outpassed by Spain in Alicante in November. They were unfortunate to be behind at half-time and 2-0 was certainly not an accurate reflection of the play when Mario Gómez doubled Germany's lead with a 57th-minute header.

Alli's ability to break forward from midfield was a prominent feature and the 19-year-old must have gone a long way to cementing his place in the team. Dier can also reflect on a hugely satisfying match, even if he was partly culpable when Toni Kroos opened the scoring late in the first half, and Danny Rose, another member of the Tottenham quartet, slipped in seamlessly on his England debut, winning his personal duel with Thomas Müller.

Amid all the jubilation, the night was an ordeal for Jack Butland, who was in tears as he left the pitch on a stretcher. Butland had twisted his ankle making a straightforward catch seem unnecessarily complicated and his injury helped to explain why Kroos's swerving shot beat him at his near post. Dier, uncharacteristically, had failed to close down Kroos and the damage might have been even worse for England bearing in mind Gómez had beaten Butland in the 27th minute only to be denied, wrongly, by an offside flag.

That, perhaps, was the one sobering lesson for Hodgson's new, experimental side. England had looked the better team for most of the first half but could conceivably have been two goals behind at half-time. Always, though, there was a good balance and a collective understanding when they were attacking that they were not coming up against one of the great Germany defences.

Danny Welbeck created lots of problems for Emre Can on the right side of Germany's defence, and it was quickly apparent Alli was completely unfazed to be in such refined company. Hodgson is mistaken to compare him to Bryan Robson – the modern game is no longer physical enough to have a like-for-like version of the former England captain – but this was a marvellous display in a midfield where Jordan Henderson also had one of his more effective games.

The only lingering worry for Hodgson must be the manner in which England found themselves two goals behind. Hodgson said he would have backed Butland to save from Kroos if he were not pushing off an injured ankle but there was a vulnerability in England's back four. Sami Khedira's chipped pass to set up Germany's second goal was weighted beautifully but Hodgson will have noted the way Gómez drifted in between Gary Cahill and Clyne to direct his header past Fraser Forster, Butland's replacement.

England desperately needed a quick response and three minutes later Kane changed the complexion of the match with an expertly taken goal. A corner had dropped nearby but Kane had to show great tenacity and skill to take control, elude two opponents with a wonderful turn and then drive a diagonal shot into the far corner.

After that, it was almost shocking to see a team with Germany's high reputation crumple in the face of quick, inventive attacking. Vardy's goal provided another of those moments when it felt like a trick of the imagination that he was working in a factory not too long ago. Dier's header came from Henderson's corner and Lothar Matthäus later described Alli as the game's outstanding player.

The game had been turned upside down and Hodgson was being modest in not wanting to describe it as the best performance of his four years in charge. The evidence was overwhelming.