MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico had an enormous home-field advantage and an opportunity to make its deepest run in the World Cup, but El Tri let it slip away against heavyweight England on Sunday night.
Playing at altitude with the passionate backing of 80,824 fans at Estadio Azteca, and with a man advantage for most of the second half, Mexico scored twice but could never equalize and lost 3-2.
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A Mexico fan reacts during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Mexico retiring goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa blows a kiss to the stands when leaving the pitch at the the end of the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Mexico's Israel Reyes (15) reacts after during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Mexico players react following the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Mexico hadn't conceded a goal in its first four World Cup matches but had no answer for Jude Bellingham, who scored twice in a 98-second span in the first half.
“To dream and then fall like this hurts deeply, but the players should leave with their heads held high,” coach Javier Aguirre said. “They gave it their all on the pitch, but it wasn’t meant to be today. The fans had high hopes, and we couldn’t get the job done and give them another night of joy.”
While El Tri made a step forward from their group-stage exit in Qatar in 2022, the defeat leads a bitter taste for Mexico fans who were hoping to see their country's first quarterfinal appearance since 1986, when it last hosted the World Cup. Mexico has been eliminated in the round of 16 eight times since then.
Aguirre will step down after his third stint as Mexico's coach. Rafael Marquez, a former Barcelona defender, who was Aguirre's assistant at this World Cup, will replace him.
“These five matches are unforgettable. I am saying goodbye to the Estadio Azteca and leaving with great pride after so many years,” Aguirre said. “Rafa is a great kid, a valuable coach and he is going to show it. Hopefully he is going to do it better than me.”
It was Mexico's third competitive loss at Azteca, which opened in 1966, after a pair of 2-1 defeats in World Cup qualifiers, to Costa Rica in 2001 and to Honduras in 2013.
“I am sad, we had everything to win the match. (England) did not play well, they had five shots on goal and scored three,” said Mexico fan Ramiro Caballero, a 44-year-old businessman. “It was the perfect scenario to take the next step and now we must wait for that victory.”
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
A Mexico fan reacts during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Mexico retiring goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa blows a kiss to the stands when leaving the pitch at the the end of the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Mexico's Israel Reyes (15) reacts after during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Mexico players react following the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane carried England to the World Cup quarterfinals, overcoming a raucous crowd, the elevation of Estadio Azteca and a man disadvantage in the second half to beat Mexico in a 3-2 thriller on Sunday night.
In the same stadium where England fell victim to Diego Maradona’s Hand of God goal in the 1986 World Cup against Argentina, it was the foot of Kane that gave the nation redemption 40 years later.
Bellingham scored two goals 98 seconds apart in the first half, and six minutes after Jarell Quansah was sent off, Kane converted a penalty to restore England's two-goal lead.
England moves on to face Norway on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida, for a spot in the semifinals.
“It was a crazy game. We had to fight,” Kane said, his voice hoarse. “I can't really talk, but the occasion, the team, everything against us, we found a way.”
Bellingham stunned the crowd of 80,824 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 Quansah was shown a red card 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 sits 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.
“This is probably one of the biggest England wins in a while, probably the biggest one I can remember as a fan or player,” Bellingham said. “The best night of my England career.”
Midfielder Jordan Henderson was taken to a hospital after the match with a wrist injury, coach Thomas Tuchel said. He was hurt when he tumbled over an advertising board during the postgame celebration.
“It’s quite a serious injury,” Tuchel said.
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.
It was Mexico’s third competitive loss at Azteca, which opened in 1966, after a pair of 2-1 defeats in World Cup qualifiers, to Costa Rica in 2001 and to Honduras in 2013.
The stadium sits 7,300 feet (2,200 meters) above sea level and England's travel schedule gave it no opportunity to get used to the altitude. Mexico's passionate fans blasted horns outside the England hotel to disrupt players' sleep, and the start of the match was delayed an hour because of a thunderstorm.
No matter. England is on to the quarterfinals as it seeks its first title since 1966, and its outnumbered fans continued their tradition of serenading the victorious Three Lions with Oasis' “Wonderwall.”
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saves a shot from Mexico's Raul Jimenez during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Mexico's Raul Jimenez, left, and England's Marc Guehi challenge for the ball during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Mexico's Cesar Montes, left, and England's Jude Bellingham (10) battle for the ball in front of England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (1) during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan )
England's Jude Bellingham (10) celebrates with teammate Harry Kane (9) after scoring his team's first goal during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
England's Jude Bellingham (10) celebrates with teammates after scoring his second goal during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
