The rain came first. Then the lightning. Then Jude Bellingham—twice, in 98 seconds—and the Azteca fell silent.
Ten-man England produced one of their finest tournament performances on foreign soil, beating Mexico 3-2 in a FIFA World Cup classic at the Estadio Azteca on Monday to advance to the quarterfinals against Norway in Miami on Sunday. Harry Kane scored from the spot and Bellingham netted a first-half brace as England led 3-1 before Mexico pulled it back to 3-2, forcing a nerve-shredding finish that included 11 minutes of added time. England held on. Just.
Lightning storms delayed kickoff by an hour and built the tension to fever pitch before a capacity crowd of 80,824—the kind of atmosphere that can reduce visiting teams to their most basic instincts. It almost reduced England to exactly that. Almost.
Bellingham Writes His Name at the Azteca
Bellingham did something on Sunday that only Diego Maradona had done before him at this ground: scored twice at the Azteca in the World Cup. Maradona’s brace came in a 1986 semifinal on the way to lifting the trophy. Bellingham is 23 years old and England are in the quarterfinals. Only time will tell how significant his double proves to be.
The first came in the 36th minute—a flowing move that saw Declan Rice drive forward, feed Bukayo Saka, and watch the Arsenal winger’s cross from the right find Bellingham arriving late at the far post to head home. Before Mexico could process it, England struck again. Elliot Anderson won the ball high up the pitch, Anthony Gordon fed Bellingham, who slipped in Kane. The England captain’s cross found Bellingham again—2-0, 98 seconds after the first, the Azteca stunned into a momentary, disbelieving quiet.
He has now scored in three of England’s five matches at this World Cup.
Mexico’s Fight—And England’s Red Card Problem
Mexico did not fold. They rarely do at the Azteca.
Julian Quinones dragged Mexico back into it with a thunderous finish, and the crowd found its voice again. Then England’s right back problem resurfaced. Jarell Quansah was sent off on a VAR review in the 54th minute for a high tackle on Jesus Gallardo—a dismissal that felt harsh given that he made contact with the ball first before the momentum carried through. Harsh or not, England were down to ten men with 36 minutes of normal time remaining, in Mexico City, against a crowd in full voice.
England responded by being brilliant. Kane converted from the spot in the 60th minute after Raul Rangel brought down Gordon in the box—a penalty that made it 3-1 and appeared to settle matters. Then Kane became the first player since 1966 to both score and concede a penalty in the same World Cup match, fouling substitute Brian Gutierrez to give Mexico their spot kick. Raul Jimenez—who had spent the evening haunting England, drawing two world-class saves from Jordan Pickford in the first half alone and finishing with seven shots across the match—stepped up and converted. Three-two.
What followed was pure English grit. John Stones shored up the defence. Djed Spence held firm at right back. Dan Burn provided physical authority across a flat back five in the final minutes. Pickford was magnificent on Mexico crosses throughout. Tuchel’s late decision to substitute Kane off in the 90th minute—a bold call that drew sharp intakes of breath—proved correct. England saw it out.
The Road Ahead
England next face Norway on Sunday in Miami—and with Quansah suspended and Reece James still sidelined with injury, the right back question that has followed England throughout this tournament remains unresolved. Either Spence or Konsa likely fills the gap. Neither is the answer Tuchel wants.
Still. Ten men. The Azteca. Mexico at full roar.
England came through. That has to count for something.
