England advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup on Sunday following a dramatic 3-2 victory against Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium. Midfielder Jude Bellingham starred in the high-stakes knockout match, netting two first-half goals to help the Three Lions survive a resilient comeback attempt despite playing down to ten men.
The European side opened the scoring in the 36th minute when Bukayo Saka delivered a precise assist for Jude Bellingham to convert a clinical header. Just two minutes later, the midfielder combined with team captain Harry Kane to swiftly double the English advantage. However, Mexico responded before the halftime interval through a close-range strike from Julián Quiñones in the 42nd minute.
The second half intensified when defender Jarell Quansah received a straight red card in the 53rd minute following a VAR review. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Kane converted a penalty shortly after to extend the lead to 3-1. Mexico fought back with another VAR-verified penalty from Raúl Jiménez in the 68th minute, forcing England to endure heavy defensive pressure through eleven minutes of stoppage time. Following the narrow triumph, England will travel to Miami to face Norway in the next round on July 11.
