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Jude Bellingham’s double inflicted a rare defeat on Mexico at the Estadio Azteca as 10-man England won a nerve-racking World Cup classic 3-2 on Sunday to reach the quarter-finals.

Harry Kane also scored from the penalty spot as the Three Lions overcame Jarell Quansah’s red card, high altitude and a fervent home support to keep their quest for a first major tournament win in 60 years alive.

England have relied on Bellingham and Kane throughout the tournament and that duo have carried them into a last eight showdown with Erling Haaland’s Norway.

“When the going gets tough, they never give up, they never lose belief. It was one step more,” said England boss Thomas Tuchel.

“We need to take this in. This is Azteca, it’s Mexico, a crazy game. We left everything out there, every single one of us. We need to take this in, now it’s full steam ahead.”

Bellingham struck twice in 98 seconds in the first half to condemn Mexico to just a third defeat in 90 matches at the Azteca.

Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez reduced the Mexican arrears but they fell short of a place in the quarter-finals.

Victory also helped to erase some of England’s nightmarish memories at the Azteca in the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup when Diego Maradona scored a double for Argentina, including the infamous “Hand of God” goal.

The match was delayed by an hour after a thunder storm and heavy rain lashed the Mexican capital for hours before the planned 6.00pm (0000 GMT) kick-off time.

Mexico’s forward #09 Raul Jimenez shoots from the penalty spot to score his team’s second goal during the 2026 World Cup round of 16 football match between Mexico and England at the Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City on July 5, 2026.

Despite the sodden conditions, over 80,000 fans crammed into the stadium to create a deafening noise.

Tuchel was wary of a fast start from Mexico as his side adjusted to the altitude 2,240 metres (7,350 feet) above sea level.
Mexico had flown out of the traps when they won a World Cup knockout game for the first time in 40 years against Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday.

This time England managed to keep Javier Aguirre’s side at bay, but did need a crucial intervention from Jordan Pickford to deny Jimenez opening the scoring with a diving header that was headed for the bottom corner.
Tuchel made three changes to the side that needed a heroic performance from Kane to prevent an embarrassing early exit to DR Congo.
Quansah was forced to deputise at right-back with Reece James not fit to start for a third consecutive game, opening up Tuchel to criticism over his decision not to select more specialist cover in that position.
Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka also started out wide and both made telling contributions.
Saka’s cross picked out Bellingham to power in a header for the first goal Mexico had conceded in five World Cup games.
The hosts failed to compose themselves as within two minutes the Real Madrid midfielder had doubled England’s lead.

Kane’s ball across fell perfectly for Bellingham to power in his fourth goal of the tournament.
Yet what should have been a comfortable lead was nearly wiped out by half-time.

Quinones blasted in his fourth goal of the tournament to spark the Mexico rally after England failed to clear a free-kick.
Jimenez drilled wide and saw another header saved by Pickford before Bellingham made a last-ditch intervention to deny Cesar Montes a certain equaliser.
Nico O’Reilly nearly restored England’s two-goal cushion at the start of the second half as his deflected shot cannoned off the post.
Quansah was shown a straight red card on 54 minutes after a VAR review for a mistimed lunge on Jesus Gallardo.

England’s forward #09 Harry Kane celebrates scoring his team’s third goal with England’s midfielder #10 Jude Bellingham during the 2026 World Cup round of 16 football match between Mexico and England at the Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City on July 5, 2026.

But just six minutes later the 10 men had added to their lead when Gordon was wiped out by Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel and Kane emphatically dispatched the penalty.
The England captain’s sixth goal of the tournament puts him just one behind Haaland, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot.
The game took another huge momentum swing when this time Kane was penalised for a foul inside his own box and Jimenez slotted home the penalty to set up a frantic final 20 minutes.
England though stood tall, defending at times frantically to resist the Mexican wave during 11 minutes of additional time and reach a third consecutive World Cup quarter-final.
AFP

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In a stunning twist ahead of the World Cup Round of 16, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has confirmed that United States men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun will be eligible to play against Belgium on Monday in Seattle.

The 25-year-old forward was facing an automatic one-match suspension following a straight red card during the USMNT’s 2-0 Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1.

The decision gives the US a huge boost as they attempt to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2002.

Balogun has been a constant threat for the US so far this tournament, and has scored three goals in three starts.

Without him, US coach Mauricio Pochettino was scrambling to come up with other options in attack.

FIFA’s disciplinary committee said it made the decision in line with Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which allows it to suspend red cards so long as the discipline is not related to match-fixing.

Balogun will be on a probationary period of one year, meaning the red card technically still remains on his record.

If, during that year, Balogun commits what the code refers to as “another infringement of a similar nature and gravity,” the striker will serve his one-game ban.

President Donald Trump thanked football’s world governing body for suspending the red card.

“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

“We accept the decision of the disciplinary committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow,” US Soccer said in a statement.

“Our full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle, and we look forward to the continued support of our amazing fans.”

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Naomi Osaka stunned world number one Aryna Sabalenka with a 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) victory on Sunday as the Japanese star moved into the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time.

Osaka avenged a straight-sets defeat against Sabalenka in the French Open last 16 in June by eliminating her fellow four-time Grand Slam champion with a superb display on Centre Court.

It is five years since Osaka lifted her most recent Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open.

Revitalised by coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, who mentored Iga Swiatek, the 28-year-old reached the semi-finals of the US Open last year and has carried that momentum into 2026.

Osaka is yet to drop a set across her opening four matches at Wimbledon.

Seeded 14th, she is finally finding her groove on grass, helped by the eye-catching outfits she arrives on court wearing.

Her walk-on costumes have included a kimono, a bomber jacket with a long train and a cloak that looks like an open kimono.

The 28-year-old believes all the talk about her haute couture has taken the pressure off her tennis.

Once again she treated fans to a memorable outfit before delivering a tailor-made performance that left Sabalenka’s Wimbledon challenge in tatters in the last 16.

Osaka faces Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova for a place in the last four.

“For me, this court is so special. This is the first match I’ve won on this court. It means a lot,” Osaka said.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had so much fun on the court, and to do it here really means a lot.

“I lost to her three times in a row. That really sucked. I wanted to have the opportunity to overturn that,” she added.

Home-cooking

Praising her mother’s home-cooking, who was watching from the players’ box, for inspiring her success over the last week, Osaka added, “She cooks a lot. I feel like her cooking is powering me. I would like another meal tonight. She cooks a lot of Japanese food.”

Osaka and Sabalenka had already collided three times in 2026, with the Belarusian winning on the hard courts of Indian Wells and on clay in Madrid and Roland Garros.

But the 28-year-old’s bid for a 15th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final came to an abrupt halt.

Sabalenka had lost in the semi-finals on each of her past three visits to Wimbledon and has never made the final.

The Belarusian suffered a surprise loss to Diana Shnaider in the French Open quarter-finals, and this was another painful result for a player with a history of unexpected meltdowns.

Osaka broke in the third game of the first set with a blistering backhand that fizzed past Sabalenka.

Blasting fierce ground strokes from the baseline, Osaka rattled Sabalenka to such an extent that the Belarusian let out an anguished scream after being broken for a second time.

Notorious for struggling in windy conditions, Sabalenka was completely out of rhythm and stormed off court for a break before the second set.

Sabalenka repeatedly banged the racquet against her head as Osaka took the set to a tie-break.

Sabalenka had won her last 21 tie-breaks at Grand Slams, but Osaka was unfazed, powering to victory with a flourish.

AFP