A thriller at Azteca: England beats Mexico 3-2 to reach World Cup quarters

England prevailed for a wild victory and handed Mexico its first-ever World Cup loss at the famed Estadio Azteca.

BY CARLOS RODRIGUEZ, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jul 5, 2026, 8:41 PM Updated: 9:06 pm

England Bellingham goal celebration Mexico World Cup 2026...

Jude Bellingham (10) celebrates scoring the first of his two goals in England's round-of-16 win over Mexico at the World Cup on Sunday night. (Michael Steele/Getty Images)

(Michael Steele/Getty Images)

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Jude Bellingham scored two goals 98 seconds apart, Harry Kane converted a penalty when England was down to 10 men, and the Three Lions handed Mexico its first World Cup loss at Estadio Azteca, a wild 3-2 victory on Sunday night to reach the quarterfinals.

England moves on to face Norway on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida, for a spot in the semifinals.

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Bellingham stunned the crowd of more than 80,000 at a venue where Mexico was unbeaten in 10 World Cup matches, including three this year, when he scored on a header in the 36th minute and again in the 38th on a pass from Kane.

Julián Quiñones scored for El Tri in the 42nd minute, and the game appeared to turn in Mexico’s favor when England’s Jarell Quansah was sent off in the 54th for a dangerous foul on Jesús Gallardo.

But England was awarded a penalty for a challenge by Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel, and Kane converted for his sixth goal of this tournament and 14th of his World Cup career, matching Gerd Müller of West Germany for fifth on the scoring list. Kane has six goals in this tournament, one behind Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race.

Kane then committed a foul that made him the first player since at least 1966 to score and concede a penalty in a World Cup game. Raúl Jiménez converted the kick with a stutter-step approach to move El Tri within 3-2.

Mexico attacked relentlessly over the final 21 minutes, plus 11 minutes of stoppage time, but goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and England’s defenders held steady.

Mexico has not reached the quarterfinals since hosting in 1986. Since then, it has lost in the round of 16 eight times, failed to advance past the group stage in 2022 and was disqualified from the 1990 tournament.