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England delivered one of their most memorable World Cup performances as they defeated Mexico 3-2 on Sunday to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 tournament. Jude Bellingham scored twice in the opening half, while Harry Kane kept his Golden Boot hopes alive with a penalty, as the Three Lions held firm despite playing much of the second half with ten men after Jarell Quansah’s red card.

Kick-off was delayed by an hour due to storms near Estadio Azteca, and Mexico started brightly. Jordan Pickford was called into action early, producing a fine save to deny a diving header from Raul Jimenez.

England gradually settled and took the lead in the 36th minute when Bukayo Saka surged down the flank and delivered a pinpoint cross to the back post for Bellingham to head home. Just 98 seconds later, Bellingham struck again, bundling in from Kane’s pass to make it 2-0.

Mexico, however, responded before the interval. Julian Quinones reduced the deficit with a powerful finish after England failed to clear a free-kick properly. Jimenez twice came close to equalising—shooting wide once and forcing another brilliant save from Pickford with a header.

Thomas Tuchel’s men started the second half with purpose, and Bellingham almost completed an accidental hat-trick when he deflected Nico O'Reilly’s volley onto the post. But England’s momentum was halted when Quansah was shown a red card for a high challenge on Jesus Gallardo following a VAR check.

Even with ten men, England continued to threaten. Anthony Gordon was brought down by Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel, and Kane confidently converted the resulting penalty. The reprieve was short-lived, though, as Kane conceded a foul in his own box and Jimenez converted from the spot to make it 3-2.

From there, England had to withstand heavy pressure from the co-hosts, but Pickford held his ground superbly as the defence stood tall to secure a quarter-final clash against Norway in Miami on Saturday.

Here are GOAL’s player ratings from Mexico City:

Goalkeeper & Defence

Jordan Pickford (9/10): Produced two outstanding saves to deny Jimenez in the first half and commanded his area well throughout, showing the composure that had been missing earlier in the tournament.

Jarell Quansah (4/10): Managed Quinones well for much of the game, but his reckless tackle left his team a man down and in real trouble.

Ezri Konsa (6/10): Was caught out by Jimenez a few times, and a poor clearance led to Quinones’ goal. Improved significantly after half-time, especially after moving to right-back.

Marc Guehi (8/10): Displayed his full range of passing and provided solidity at the heart of England’s defence.

Nico O'Reilly (6/10): Offered dynamism from left-back and nearly scored early in the second half. However, he let emotions get the better of him at times as the match grew tense.

Midfield

Elliot Anderson (7/10): His pressing created the opportunity for England’s second goal. This was his best performance of the tournament so far, combining energy with precise passing and strong tackling.

Declan Rice (8/10): Recovered well after an early booking to dominate midfield. His driving run was key to the opening goal, and he remained a consistent presence throughout.

Jude Bellingham (9/10): Two intelligent runs to the far post brought his goals, and his crucial tackle on Montes just before half-time preserved the lead. Always looked to carry England forward, though he occasionally overplayed.

Attack

Bukayo Saka (6/10): Created the opener with brilliant wing play but struggled to influence proceedings consistently. Worked hard before being substituted after the red card.

Harry Kane (7/10): Registered both a goal and an assist. Contributed defensively as well, though unfortunate to concede a penalty later on.

Anthony Gordon (9/10): Used his pace effectively, following up his strong showing against DR Congo with another lively display. Won the penalty smartly and provided an outlet after the sending-off.

Substitutes & Manager

John Stones (7/10): Made key interventions after coming on post-red card.

Djed Spence (7/10): Delivered crucial last-ditch tackles as Mexico pressed forward.

Dan Burn (7/10): Added aerial strength to help England deal with crosses and long balls.

Morgan Rogers (N/A): Injected energy and pressed well from the front after replacing Kane.

Thomas Tuchel (8/10): Set up his side perfectly for the challenge at the Azteca. His substitutions were spot-on, tightening the defence and guiding England to a famous win.