A quickfire double from Jude Bellingham and a second-half penalty from Harry Kane gave England a thrilling 3-2 win over Mexico in their World Cup round-of-16 clash at the Azteca Stadium, despite Thomas Tuchel’s side playing with 10 men for most of the second half after a red card for Jarell Quansah.
After an intense but mostly cagey opening half an hour, the game sparked into action in the 36th minute when England hit the hosts on the counter, Bukayo Saka looping a cross to the back post where Bellingham was on hand to head home and bring the decibel level down a notch.
The home fans would be quietened further just 98 seconds later, when Bellingham doubled England’s advantage. The midfielder laid the ball wide to Harry Kane and then got beyond César Montes to convert Kane’s ball back across goal and put England in dreamland.
But the Azteca came back to life four minutes after that, when Ezri Konsa failed to clear Roberto Alvarado’s free kick and Julián Quiñones slammed the ball home on the volley. England needed a terrific save from Jordan Pickford and a goal-saving intervention from Bellingham to remain in front at the break.
England’s efforts to hold onto their lead got even harder just nine minutes into the second half when Quansah was sent off for a poor challenge on Jesús Gallardo, the Bayer Leverkusen man going over the top of the ball onto the Mexican’s shin.
The drama intensified just after the hour mark when Anthony Gordon latched onto Harry Kane’s clever knockdown and was brought down inside the box by Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel. Kane stepped up to take the resulting penalty and, despite Rangel diving the right way, calmly found the back of the net to restore England’s two-goal advantage.
Mexico refused to give up and quickly found a route back into the contest. Minutes after scoring, Kane was penalized for catching Brian Gutiérrez inside the area, giving the hosts a penalty of their own. Raúl Jiménez made no mistake from the spot, reducing the deficit and setting up a tense finale as Mexico piled forward in search of an equalizer.
Despite relentless late pressure, England’s resilient 10-man side defended bravely to secure a memorable 3–2 victory at the Azteca Stadium. The result sends Thomas Tuchel’s men into the World Cup quarter-finals, where they will face Norway in another highly anticipated knockout clash.
England’s best World Cup performance of the 21st century?
When Harry Kane attempted to do his post-match interview with the BBC after what must have felt like the longest game of his career, it quickly became apparent that he could barely talk.
The relief was evident in the England camp after the final whistle. Thomas Tuchel’s players had survived one of the toughest tests of the tournament, overcoming a hostile atmosphere and immense late pressure to leave the iconic Azteca Stadium with a famous victory. No visiting team had previously defeated Mexico at the venue in a FIFA World Cup, making England’s achievement even more remarkable.
Jarell Quansah’s early second-half red card threatened to derail England’s hopes, but rather than retreat under the weight of expectation from more than 87,000 passionate home supporters, the Three Lions responded with resilience. Harry Kane’s penalty restored their two-goal cushion before Mexico mounted a relentless comeback.
As the hosts pushed forward, England’s defence stood firm. Jordan Pickford produced crucial saves, while Djed Spence and Dan Burn repeatedly threw themselves in front of shots and crosses to preserve the lead during a tense closing spell.
England have produced memorable World Cup performances in recent decades, but this display combined composure, determination, and tactical discipline under immense pressure. Holding on for a 3–2 victory with 10 men showcased the character of Tuchel’s squad and sets a high standard as they prepare for a quarter-final showdown with Norway.
Snapshot from the match
When Jude Bellingham first moved to Real Madrid, it took many by surprise when he started popping up with vital goals on an almost weekly basis. How was it that this 20-year-old midfielder had suddenly turned into one of the world’s best poachers?
Sunday night’s performance was a reminder of what he offers, and then some. The 23-year-old showed impressive presence of mind to dovetail with Kane for his first, and sheer determination to beat Montes to the ball for the second.
Perhaps his most impressive intervention of the half came in stoppage time, when he stretched out a leg to clear when Montes looked certain to score.
With England down to 10 men for most of the second half, Bellingham’s role changed again, as he was tasked with forming part of a wall of white shirts intent on doing anything to keep Mexico out. They did. When the final whistle finally blew, he collapsed to his knees, having epitomised the fight and the spirit England needed to somehow emerge with a win.
The last player to score twice in a World Cup game at the Azteca? Diego Maradona in 1986.
