England secured their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup after a dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico in a match held at the Estadio Azteca. The English team, which will now face Norway in Miami next Saturday, overcame the early second-half red card for Qansah, the altitude, and the pressure from the hosts to achieve a memorable win. The match, which started an hour late due to heavy storms, was a true sporting spectacle. After some initial Mexican pressure, the night began explosively for the English, with Jude Bellingham silencing the stadium with two goals in just 98 seconds, at the 36th and 38th minutes. However, Mexico managed to reduce the deficit just before halftime through the inevitable Quiñones. The second half was chaotic and full of emotions. Just 54 minutes in, Jarell Quansah was sent off with a straight red card after a harsh tackle on Jesus Gallardo, leaving England with ten players. Despite being a man down, Harry Kane extended the lead to 3-1 by converting a penalty at the 60th minute; however, Kane himself committed a foul that led to a penalty for Jimenez, who scored to make it 2-3 at the 69th minute, reigniting uncertainty on the scoreboard. The last 20 minutes – plus 11 minutes of stoppage time – were pure resilience from the English team, which managed to hold on to the lead until the final whistle. This result marks Mexico’s first-ever defeat at the Estadio Azteca in World Cup matches, where they previously had eight wins and two draws. The home team had not conceded three goals at home since a match against Brazil in August 1999. Notably, the three goals conceded in this match surpass the total of two goals allowed in the previous ten World Cup games played at this stadium. At the end of the match, captain Harry Kane, hoarse and almost voiceless, described the game as ‘a crazy, crazy match.’ In statements to BBC Radio 5 Live, he added: ‘So many things against us as a team, coming to this fortress and having to overcome everything. In the game, the red card, the penalty, and so many decisions against us, but we held on. This will only give us more confidence and momentum. What a special night for England.’ Despite the victory, English coach Thomas Tuchel harshly criticized the officiating team led by Alireza Faghani. ‘Simply not good enough. The referees are not good enough, the fourth officials are not good enough. That’s the conclusion,’ the coach told BBC Sport. Tuchel questioned the VAR decision to award a penalty, considering it was not a ‘clear and obvious error.’ He also praised his team: ‘What drama from the first minute. What a rollercoaster of emotions. It was a struggle for a long time with 10 men. There is so much to love about this team. If there is a team with heart and belief, it is this one. They did it out of sheer will. It’s an iconic game in an iconic stadium. We overcame many adversities today,’ he declared, adding that the team refused to yield ‘at an absolutely admirable level.’ However, Tuchel admitted that the performance could have been better. ‘I think we can play much better. There is a disconnect between what we actually put on the field in terms of football performance, possession, finding spaces,’ he analyzed. The night was also marked by an injury to Jordan Henderson, whose prognosis ‘does not look good’ after a fall that resulted in a wrist injury.
Read more in football news. and related tags: Goodbye Mexico, Epic England.