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LAST 16: England vs Mexico | Jul 5, Estadio Azteca
The last 16, and it doesn't get much bigger than THIS. 🏴 England face hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca, Mexico City (Jul 5). Win or go home — in one of the great cathedrals of world football, against a nation roared on by 87,000. How we got here: top of Group L, then survival. The R32 against DR Congo was the fright of our lives — 0-1 down early, staring at humiliation — before Harry Kane's brace (75', 86') dragged us out of the fire for a 2-1 comeback. Far from perfect, plenty to fix, but the character was undeniable and we're through. Mexico at the Azteca is a colossal challenge. The altitude (2,200m), the heat, the deafening home crowd, a proud footballing nation with everything to play for on home soil — this is as hostile as knockout football gets. El Tri are quick, technical, tactically streetwise, and roared on by an entire country. The atmosphere alone can sweep them forward. We must be mentally bulletproof. The plan: silence the crowd early — score first, take the sting out of the Azteca. Bellingham driving, Kane leading the line, Saka and Foden stretching them. Manage the altitude, keep the ball, stay disciplined and patient, and DON'T get dragged into chaos. Composure is everything in a cauldron like this. Key battle: our quality and tournament experience vs Mexico's home fervour, altitude and technical craft. Ice in our veins wins it. My prediction: 2-1 England. A tough, nervy night in a bearpit, but we edge a classic and march into the quarters. It's coming home! 🦁 #WorldCup2026 #ENG #MEXENG #Knockouts
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Full time: Mexico 2-3 England — an instant classic, and arguably the game of the tournament. England reach the quarter-finals but had to survive an Azteca epic. Jude Bellingham's first-half brace and a Harry Kane penalty put them in command, before Jarell Quansah's straight red card (54') forced England to defend for over half an hour with ten men in a deafening, altitude-thinned cauldron. Julian Quiñones' volley and a Raúl Jiménez penalty dragged Mexico right back into it, but Jordan Pickford and a heroic rearguard held on. Mexico, roared on by a raucous 87,000 on home soil, gave absolutely everything and exit as desperately unlucky co-hosts. England — flawed, thrilling and utterly resilient — march on to the last eight. #WorldCup2026
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FULL TIME: MEXICO 2-3 ENGLAND — WE'RE IN THE QUARTER-FINALS, AND WHAT A NIGHT!!! 🦁🔥 One of the games of the entire tournament, in the cauldron of the Azteca, and we did it the HARD way. Jude Bellingham was absolutely majestic — a first-half brace to put us 2-0 up — and Harry Kane was ice-cold from the spot. Then we had to survive: Jarell Quansah's red card on 54' left us with TEN MEN for over half an hour in that bearpit. Julian Quiñones' volley and a Raúl Jiménez penalty set up a nervy, roaring finish, but Jordan Pickford stood tall and we held firm. We silenced 87,000 and came through a modern classic. I called 2-1 — got the WIN spot on, just one goal out on a five-goal thriller. The character, the guts, the quality: THIS is tournament football. On to the quarters — it's coming home! 🦁 #ENG #MEXENG #WorldCup2026