Bellingham scores twice in two minutes as England edge Mexico 3-2 to reach World Cup quarter-finals

Jude Bellingham scored twice in two minutes to power England to a 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium on Monday, securing Thomas Tuchel’s side a place in the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals. Harry Kane added a sixth goal of the tournament to seal the win and set up a last-eight meeting with Norway.

Bellingham has now scored four goals in five games this summer, repeatedly delivering in the moments England have needed him most. His brace against Mexico was the latest chapter in a tournament run that has underlined his status as the team’s most decisive player.

Former England midfielder Jordan Henderson had flagged exactly that before the tournament began. Speaking last month, Henderson recalled giving Bellingham his first cap — away at Middlesbrough — and reflected on how far the Real Madrid star has come since.

“How much he’s grown, as a player and as a person since then, is incredible really,” Henderson said. “I think everybody forgets how young he is. What he gives us is just something really special — he really gives us the X-factor in our team. He’s had big moments in his career, he’s a big game player, he’s got experience in tournaments. So he’s a huge, huge player for us in this tournament.”

Henderson also offered a telling anecdote about Bellingham’s competitive instincts in training. “We do rondos and the youngest in, and there’s people that I think should be going in before him, but he’s always one of the first in the middle to go in. It just reminds us how young he is.”

England’s quarter-final opponents Norway reached the last eight by defeating Brazil 2-1 on Sunday, with Erling Haaland scoring a late double to eliminate the five-time world champions.

With this victory, England have now reached the World Cup quarter-finals in three consecutive tournaments, and confidence is building within the camp that the 2026 edition could finally deliver the title the nation has waited for since 1966.