Mexico’s World Cup Run Ends at Azteca as England Hold On 3-2

Jude Bellingham scored twice in 98 first-half seconds at a soaked Estadio Azteca on Sunday night, and 10-man England held on for a 3-2 win over Mexico that ended the host nation’s World Cup in the round of 16 for the eighth time since 1986. Harry Kane’s 60th-minute penalty, awarded six minutes after Jarell Quansah’s red card, proved the difference after Mexico forced a frantic finish through Julián Quiñones and a Raúl Jiménez spot kick. The match, played before 80,824 fans at 2,240 metres above sea level, was delayed an hour by thunderstorms that had soaked the Mexican capital for hours before kickoff.

Mexico had not lost a competitive match at the Azteca since Honduras beat them 2-1 in a 2013 World Cup qualifier, and had not conceded a goal in their first four games of this tournament before Bellingham struck. The defeat closes the third stint of Javier Aguirre as Mexico’s coach; the veteran will hand the dugout to his assistant, the former Barcelona defender Rafael Márquez. England advance to a quarter-final in Miami against Erling Haaland’s Norway, who eliminated Brazil in the last 16. The Three Lions have now reached a third consecutive World Cup quarter-final, with manager Thomas Tuchel calling the night in Mexico City “iconic.”

Two Goals in 98 Seconds, and the Azteca Fell Silent

Bellingham’s opener arrived in the 36th minute, a power header from a Bukayo Saka cross that was Mexico’s first concession of the tournament. Within two minutes, Kane’s low ball across the box found the Real Madrid midfielder at the back post, and a touch was enough to beat the goalkeeper. The 98 seconds between the two goals was the shortest either side had produced in this World Cup. England had come into the match needing a “heroic” performance just to avoid an embarrassing group-stage exit against DR Congo, and the early cushion at the Azteca looked like the safest start they could have asked for.

Mexico nearly erased the deficit before the break. Quiñones, Mexico’s joint-top scorer in the tournament, smashed in his fourth goal of the campaign from a poorly cleared free kick in the 43rd minute, and Jordan Pickford had to tip a Jiménez header over the bar in first-half stoppage time to keep England ahead. The half-time whistle brought a brief pause in the rain but not in the noise from a sold-out Azteca crowd that had paid to watch Mexico end a 40-year quarter-final drought. Six minutes into the second half, England were down to 10 men when Quansah was shown a straight red for a sliding challenge on Jesús Gallardo after a VAR review.

Down a man, England spent the rest of the night defending waves. Six minutes after the dismissal, Anthony Gordon was wiped out in the box by goalkeeper Raúl Rangel and Kane drove the penalty low into the corner, his sixth of the tournament. England then conceded their own spot kick nine minutes later when a VAR review ruled Kane had fouled Brian Gutiérrez in his own area, and Jiménez sent Pickford the wrong way. From there, England dropped into a back five and defended through 11 added minutes, with Pickford producing two more saves from Jiménez headers and John Stones scrambling a near own-goal off the line.

When the final whistle went, several England players collapsed to the turf. Bellingham, who called the win a “bucket list memory,” said his team had not “crumbled” the way England sides of past tournaments had under similar pressure. Kane conducted his post-match interviews having lost his voice. Henderson, who had stayed on to celebrate with the squad, was carried off after slipping while vaulting an advertising hoarding and injuring his wrist. He went to hospital in Mexico City and will not rejoin the squad before the Norway match.

1. 36′: Bellingham header from Saka cross (England)
2. 38′: Bellingham tap-in from Kane square, 98 seconds after the first (England)
3. 43′: Quiñones strike from a poorly cleared free kick (Mexico)
4. 60′: Kane penalty after Gordon is taken down by Rangel (England)
5. 69′: Jiménez penalty after Kane fouls Gutiérrez (Mexico)

Mexico’s Eighth Round-of-16 Exit Since 1986

Mexico had gone further than at any World Cup since 1986 before Sunday, beating South Africa, South Korea and the Czech Republic in the group stage and Ecuador in the new round of 32 to book their place in the round of 16 at a tournament they are co-hosting for the third time, a run tracked in Mexico’s full World Cup record. The Ecuador win on July 1 ended a 40-year wait for a knockout-stage victory. It also made the round-of-16 meeting with England feel like the game El Tri had been building toward for a generation. The eight previous exits in this round since 1986 each carried their own particular hurt, but none had unfolded in front of a full home Azteca on a Sunday in July.

The pattern of Mexico’s last-eight ceiling is older than most of the squad that played at this tournament. They were knocked out by Bulgaria on penalties in 1994, by Germany in 1998, by the United States in 2002, by Argentina in extra time in 2006 and again in 2010, by the Netherlands in 2014 and by Brazil in 2018. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar saw the streak broken in the wrong direction when Mexico went out in the group stage. The 2026 tournament restored the usual route back to the round of 16, where it ended, against England, on the night Tuchel said his side “made peace” with the Azteca.

Aguirre Walks Out, Márquez Walks In

Aguirre said after the match that he had been “overtaken by emotions” as the final whistle confirmed the narrow margin between an upset and an exit. He called the team’s run “unforgettable” and said the players should leave with their heads held high. The Mexican Football Federation had already lined up his replacement, and Aguirre used his post-match press to formally endorse Márquez, the former Barcelona captain who has been coaching in the federation’s setup since his retirement.

Márquez has been working with the Mexican federation and was at Aguirre’s side throughout the tournament as his assistant. The federation had been weighing whether to hand him the top job before the World Cup; the choice was effectively made when Aguirre confirmed his exit plan. Márquez inherits a squad that finished the group stage unbeaten and conceded only two goals in five matches before running into Bellingham at the Azteca. He also takes charge of a deeper roster than Aguirre had in his first two stints, with Quiñones, Jiménez and César Huerta all in form.

Quiñones finished the tournament with four goals for Mexico, joining Luis Hernández and Javier Hernández as the only Mexican players to score four World Cup goals. Jiménez ended on three. Veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa extended his World Cup appearance streak to six tournaments at the Azteca. The Mexican Football Federation has confirmed Márquez will take charge of El Tri for the next World Cup cycle, with the 2030 showpiece in view.

These five matches are unforgettable. I am saying goodbye to the Estadio Azteca and leaving with great pride after so many years. Rafa is a great kid, a valuable coach and he is going to show it. Hopefully he is going to do it better than me.

Tuchel: ‘It Feels Like We Won a Final’

Tuchel called the performance “heroic” and said the result carried the weight of a trophy, in his post-match comments from the Azteca. “It feels like we won a final or something,” he told reporters. “If a team has heart and belief then it’s this team. They did it on pure will.” England travel next to Miami to face Norway, who earlier on Sunday beat Brazil 2-1 with two Haaland goals. The Three Lions have now reached a third consecutive quarter-final.

VAR reviews shaped both penalty decisions, and Tuchel called the standard “not good enough.” The right-back position has been a recurring problem for Tuchel throughout the tournament, with Reece James ruled out through injury, and Quansah’s red card compounds the issue. He will be suspended for the Norway match. Henderson was being examined overnight in a Mexico City hospital, and Tuchel described the wrist injury as “quite serious.” Norway will test England in a different way, with Haaland now sitting one goal ahead of Kane in the Golden Boot race.

We had a very sad history with this stadium so we made peace today.

What the Night Settled, and What It Still Asks

For England, the night delivered a third consecutive World Cup quarter-final and a meeting with the tournament’s joint-top scorer. Kane sits second in the Golden Boot race on six goals, one behind Haaland, with the Norway clash offering a chance to climb. Quansah’s suspension and Henderson’s injury leave Tuchel short at right-back and in midfield for the Miami match. The team’s run so far has included a draw with Croatia, a comeback win over DR Congo that required a Kane rescue act, and a 10-man victory at 2,240 metres. Tuchel called the side a “mentality monster” after the Azteca night.

For Mexico, the match confirmed both the progress and the ceiling. They reached the round of 16 at a tournament they are co-hosting for the third time, the first country to host three editions of the World Cup. They had ended a 40-year knockout-stage win drought earlier in the competition. The Azteca loss also ended a run of 10 unbeaten World Cup matches Mexico had played in Mexico City across the 1970, 1986 and 2026 editions. The first competitive fixtures of Márquez’s tenure are still to be set.

Bellingham’s two goals took his tournament tally to four. Kane has six. Quiñones finished on four for Mexico, level with Luis Hernández and Javier Hernández’s career marks as the most goals scored by a Mexican player at World Cups. Jiménez ended on three. England face Norway in Miami on Saturday.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of Mexico vs England at the 2026 World Cup?

England beat Mexico 3-2 at Estadio Azteca on Sunday, July 5, 2026, in the round of 16. Bellingham’s brace and Kane’s penalty were answered by Quiñones and a Jiménez penalty kick. England advance to face Norway in the quarter-finals.

Who will replace Javier Aguirre as Mexico’s coach?

Rafael Márquez, the former Barcelona defender who served as Aguirre’s assistant at this World Cup, will take over the Mexico job. Márquez had been working in the Mexican federation’s coaching setup before the tournament, and Aguirre used his post-match press to formally endorse his successor.

When was Mexico’s last World Cup quarter-final?

Mexico has only reached the World Cup quarter-finals twice, in 1970 and 1986, both times as tournament hosts. Every subsequent edition until 2026 ended in either the group stage or the round of 16. The 2026 round of 32, a new stage, saw Mexico beat Ecuador 2-0 before the round-of-16 loss to England.

How did Mexico beat Ecuador earlier in the 2026 World Cup?

Mexico beat Ecuador 2-0 on July 1, 2026, in the round-of-32 stage. Quiñones and Jiménez scored within a nine-minute span in the first half, ending a 40-year run without a World Cup knockout-stage win for Mexico.

What happened to Jordan Henderson after the match?

Henderson injured his wrist slipping while vaulting an advertising board during the post-match celebrations at Estadio Azteca. He was taken to a Mexico City hospital and stayed overnight with England medical staff, missing the flight to Kansas City with the rest of the squad.