Jude Bellingham, England's two-goal hero, told fans to take the day off after the Three Lions beat Mexico 3-2 in a World Cup thriller that ended at 4am. The match, delayed by an hour due to thunderstorms, saw supporters pack pubs and bars across the UK, with the Government extending opening hours until 5am.
Bellingham's Message to Fans
When asked for his message to supporters, Bellingham said: "Text your bosses and tell them you're not coming in, simple as that." He added: "Kids stay off school, parents don't go to work, enjoy your day, have the day off if you can, these nights don't come often."
Government Urges School Attendance
However, early education minister Olivia Bailey countered, urging parents to send children to school despite the late night. She told Times Radio: "I would absolutely encourage kids to get themselves into school this morning." On Sky News, she added: "You might feel a bit tired, but that's also important to learn that resilience, because there'll be many more days when you feel a bit tired at work, and you've got to get through, and you've got to still learn."
Royal and Political Reactions
The Prince of Wales congratulated the team on social media, writing: "Well done England! Bring on the quarter final!" Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who will leave office after the World Cup final, said: "One of the greatest England matches I've ever seen. We are through to the quarter finals!"
Match Drama
The game, played at Mexico's Estadio Azteca (2,200 metres above sea level), saw England play much of the second half with 10 men after defender Jarell Quansah was sent off for a high tackle following a VAR review. Both sides were awarded penalties. England captain Harry Kane scored a crucial second-half penalty, drawing praise from US President Donald Trump, who posted on Truth Social: "Harry Kane of England is a GREAT player!!!"
Fan Reactions
At Boxpark Wembley, fans erupted into Sweet Caroline as CO2 cannons blasted white fog. Similar scenes occurred in Leeds, Manchester, and Newcastle. Ollie, 29, from Wembley, joked he would be "very ill" in a few hours for work, adding: "Luckily my manager is also ill. The win was a long time coming."
England fan Stuart Pearce, 62, described the match as "one of the best games ever," noting the friendly atmosphere despite Mexico's intimidating home record—having lost only two of their previous 89 competitive games at the Azteca. His son Liam, 29, said: "We sat amongst the Mexicans which was a bit terrifying to start with, but as soon as that first goal went in it was fine."
Sam Holroyd, 21, from Leeds, said his nerves were "bad, really bad," adding: "I've watched Leeds and I've not had it worse than that." Ersan Beskardes, 30, from Bournemouth, struggled with his voice after the match, noting: "For the last 10 minutes, I'm not going to lie… my heart rate was up there."
Looking Ahead
England will face Norway in the quarter-final on Saturday, after the Scandinavian side defeated Brazil 2-1. Matt Simmons, 30 from Portsmouth, was already optimistic: "We pulled a blinder, didn't we? Absolutely smashed it tonight. Sensational. We're going to bring it home."
