MEXICO CITY – The dream of El Tri lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy came to a dramatic conclusion on Sunday night, as Mexico faced a challenging match against England at the iconic Estadio Azteca.
Jude Bellingham emerged as the star of the match, scoring two remarkable goals just 98 seconds apart. The first came in the 36th minute via a header, and the second followed quickly after in the 38th minute, assisted by Harry Kane. This stunning display shocked the crowd of over 80,000, who had witnessed Mexico’s unbeaten streak of 10 World Cup matches at this venue, including three victories earlier in the tournament.
Despite the early setback, Mexico fought back valiantly. Julián Quiñones scored in the 42nd minute, bringing hope to the Mexican fans. The match took another turn when England’s Jarell Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute for a dangerous foul on Jesús Gallardo, leaving the Three Lions with 10 men.
However, England was awarded a penalty shortly after Quansah’s dismissal due to a foul by Mexican goalkeeper Raúl Rangel. Kane stepped up to convert the penalty, marking his sixth goal of the tournament and his 14th in World Cup history, tying him with Gerd Müller of West Germany for fifth place on the all-time scoring list.
In a rare twist, Kane later committed a foul that made him the first player since at least 1966 to both score and concede a penalty in the same World Cup match. Raúl Jiménez converted the ensuing penalty, narrowing the score to 3-2, which reignited the hopes of the Mexican team.
In the closing stages, Mexico pressed hard for an equalizer, relentlessly attacking England’s defense. However, the Three Lions’ goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and his defenders held firm, ensuring their progression to the quarterfinals.
This loss marks a significant moment for Mexico, which has not reached the quarterfinals since hosting the tournament in 1986. Since that time, the national team has faced elimination in the round of 16 on eight occasions, struggled to advance past the group stage in 2022, and was disqualified from the 1990 tournament.
As England prepares for their next match against Norway in Miami Gardens, Florida, the journey continues for the Three Lions, while Mexico reflects on a tournament filled with hope and challenges.
