Tuchel hails England's 3-2 win over Mexico as feeling 'like we won the final'

Thomas Tuchel called England’s 3-2 victory over co-hosts Mexico at the 2026 World Cup ‘almost like we won a final’ after a pulsating round-of-16 tie that saw the Three Lions play more than 40 minutes with 10 men before holding on through 11 minutes of stoppage time.

Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and Anthony Gordon were the standout performers as England eliminated Mexico in dramatic circumstances, setting up a quarter-final against Norway and Erling Haaland on Saturday. A 54th-minute red card, a Mexican penalty and a thunderstorm-enforced delay to kick-off — which kept fans back home awake past 4am — added to the tension at altitude.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Tuchel reflected on the intensity of the build-up, which included the England camp being kept awake by fireworks set off outside their hotel. “In the buildup, it never felt like a Round of 16, and it still doesn’t,” the 52-year-old said. “It feels almost like we won a final or something. That last moment when the referee takes the whistle to his mouth and you know that you overcame it — 40, 50 minutes with 10 men in the altitude against the home country, against a strong Mexican team. It is a moment of joy, and it is a heroic performance and a heroic result in the end.”

Tuchel, who succeeded Gareth Southgate in 2024, also praised the atmosphere generated by the Mexican public. “To be in this country, to see the people on the side of the streets all the way to the stadium was such a special moment,” he said. “I think we played against a strong team in an amazing stadium in an amazing country. I almost feel sorry that you’re out because I saw the passion and the emotion of all the people.”

The England manager also found room for humour when asked about the reported lifting of USA striker Folarin Balogun’s red card ahead of their round-of-16 clash with Belgium — a decision linked in reports to a phone call from the White House. When a reporter asked whether skipper Harry Kane could seek similar intervention to have Jarell Quansah’s ban overturned, Tuchel quipped: “Where does it start and where does this end, is my question. I don’t have an answer. Can Harry maybe ask Donald Trump? That’s a good starting point.”