England secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico in a thrilling FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash at the iconic Azteca Stadium, booking their place in the quarter finals for the third consecutive tournament. Despite playing with 10 men for much of the second half, England held their nerve to eliminate the co-hosts in one of the tournament’s most exciting matches.
The match was delayed by nearly an hour because of thunderstorms, but once play began, Mexico started brightly in front of a passionate home crowd. England remained composed under pressure and gradually took control of the contest with disciplined defending and quick attacks.
Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with a brilliant diving header from an excellent cross by Bukayo Saka. Just two minutes later, Bellingham struck again after Harry Kane delivered another dangerous ball into the penalty area, giving England a commanding two goal advantage.
Mexico refused to give up and found a way back before halftime when Julian Quinones reacted quickly inside the box to score after a free kick created confusion in England’s defense. The goal lifted the home supporters and set up an exciting second half.
England faced another major challenge when defender Jarell Quansah received a red card for a reckless tackle. Even with a numerical disadvantage, England continued to threaten on the counterattack. Shortly after the sending off, Anthony Gordon won a penalty following a foul by the Mexican goalkeeper, and Kane confidently converted from the spot to restore England’s two goal lead.
Mexico responded once again after a VAR review awarded them a penalty. Raul Jimenez calmly scored from the spot to reduce the deficit to 3-2, creating a tense finish. Mexico dominated possession during the closing stages, but England defended bravely and protected their lead until the final whistle.
The memorable victory also marked Mexico’s first ever World Cup defeat at the Azteca Stadium, while England advanced to a quarter final meeting with Norway, who stunned Brazil earlier in the day.
