England faced Mexico at Estadio Azteca, securing a 3-2 victory to enter the World Cup quarterfinals. Jude Bellingham made a dramatic impact by scoring twice within 98 seconds during the first half. His goals, coming in the 36th and 38th minutes, shocked the 80,000-strong crowd at a venue where Mexico had remained unbeaten in ten World Cup matches.

Harry Kane also played a crucial role. Although England was reduced to ten men after Jarell Quansah’s dismissal for a foul on Jesús Gallardo, Kane kept the team in the game. He successfully converted a penalty after Mexico’s goalkeeper Raúl Rangel’s challenge, securing his position as fifth on the all-time World Cup scoring list with 14 goals.

Mexico’s Julián Quiñones scored in the 42nd minute, and Raúl Jiménez closed the gap to 3-2 with a successful penalty, following a foul committed by Kane. Jiménez’s unique approach with a stutter-step added tension to the match.

Despite facing relentless pressure from Mexico in the final minutes, including 11 minutes of stoppage time, England’s defense, led by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, maintained their lead.

Mexico, having not reached the quarterfinals since their 1986 hosting, faced another disappointment. The team has frequently exited in the round of 16 and failed to advance past the group stage in 2022. They also missed participating in the 1990 World Cup.