10-man England stun Mexico at the Azteca to reach World Cup 2026 quarter-finals

England survived a lightning delay, a red card, and 11 nerve-shredding minutes of added time to beat co-hosts Mexico 3-2 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Sunday 5 July, reaching the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals in historic fashion.

After a one-hour postponement caused by lightning storms, Jude Bellingham silenced a packed home crowd by scoring twice in just 98 seconds — in the 36th and 38th minutes — to put England in command. Julián Quiñones pulled one back for Mexico shortly before half-time (42’), setting the stage for a chaotic second half.

England’s task grew considerably harder in the 54th minute when right-back Jarell Quansah was shown a red card following a VAR review for a dangerous challenge. Rather than retreat, Harry Kane stepped up to convert a penalty in the 60th minute and restore the two-goal cushion. Kane then conceded a spot-kick himself, and Raúl Jiménez slotted home in the 69th minute to make it 3-2 and ignite a frantic finale.

Jordan Pickford produced a series of crucial saves as manager Thomas Tuchel introduced John Stones and Dan Burn to shore up the defence. England ultimately held on through 11 minutes of added time to seal a result that carries genuine historical weight: it is the first time any side has beaten Mexico at the Azteca in a World Cup fixture.

Bellingham also etched his name into the record books individually, becoming the first player since Diego Maradona in 1986 to score a brace in a single World Cup match at the iconic venue.

Among those watching from the stands was Harry Kane’s wife, Katie Kane, who posted to Instagram ahead of kick-off wearing a bespoke white halter-neck shirt bearing her husband’s surname in red, paired with a blue jacket and trousers. Her pre-match caption — “Game ready, let’s go England” — drew more than 59,000 likes. After the final whistle she posted to her Instagram story from the stands, writing: “England! What a team.”