Bellingham brace fires England past Mexico 3-2 at the Azteca to reach World Cup quarter-finals

Jude Bellingham struck twice in three first-half minutes to send England into the World Cup quarter-finals with a 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Sunday, inflicting only the third competitive home defeat in the ground’s history since it opened in 1966.

Bellingham’s brace appeared to settle the tie early, but Julian Quinones pulled one back before half-time to keep the hosts in it. A Harry Kane penalty after Jarell Quansah’s straight red card gave England a two-goal cushion, only for Raul Jimenez to convert a spot kick of his own and set up a nervy finale that England ultimately survived.

The result sent shockwaves through Mexican football. ESPN Deportes described it as “the most painful ‘Aztecazo’ of all”, invoking the Spanish term used when a major upset occurs at the famous ground. “The hopes of the Mexico City Stadium were dashed in the 101st minute,” the outlet wrote. “The final score was 3-2 in favour of the Europeans — once again, the [reality] of ‘we played like never before and lost as always’.”

El Universal led with the same word, noting that goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa had warned before the game that clinical finishing separates the elite sides from the rest. “Jude Bellingham served as a reminder with his brace,” the paper wrote. “[England] suffered from start to finish at the Azteca Stadium.”

AS Mexico called it “the ‘Game of the Century’ of the new era”, adding that Mexico “succumbed, but not before pushing England to their human limits in a delirious and legendary match, a golden chapter in World Cup history.”

For Mexico, the loss extends a painful streak: they have now failed to reach the quarter-finals in yet another World Cup cycle, with their long wait for a place in the last eight going on. The tournament’s co-hosts — Mexico, the United States and Canada — will have no more games played on Mexican soil after this exit.

England, meanwhile, advance to face Norway in the quarter-finals, with Erling Haaland having guided the Norwegians through their own last-16 tie.