England's victory over Mexico in the last 16 of the World Cup will go down in Three Lions folklore. The 2am kick off was a make or break occasion for Thomas Tuchel's men, with a defeat coming off the back of a narrow win against DR Congo almost certain to leave his squad open to criticism and an online pile on.
Much had been made in the lead up to the match about the hostile Mexican crowd, the conditions and the impact of being forced to perform at altitude. But in arguably their best performance of the tournament so far, Tuchel's lions rose to the occasion to create jubilant scenes across the country. It could become one of the country's most famous wins, especially if they go on to lift the trophy.
Another tournament red card
What must have been going through Jarell Quansah's head as he was shown a straight red card and sent for an early bath? It is a sight we have seen all too often: David Beckham in 1998, Phillip Neville in 2000 and Wayne Rooney in 2006. Yet the outcome was different to each of those occasions. Previously, English teams have buckled under the pressure of playing with 10 men and exited the competition.
But 2026 England bucked the trend. Quansah, who risked becoming public enemy number 1, had his reckless lunge cost England dearly, was saved by his teammates, who added a third goal shortly after and defended doggedly to progress into the next round.
Pressure is for tyres
England defending a narrow lead in the business end of a tournament has not ended well in recent years. The World Cup semi-final against Croatia in 2018 saw England eventually wilt, as they did three years later in the European Championship final against Italy. Many fans pulling an all-nighter must have felt the same when Dan Burn's introduction saw England pivot to a back five as the Three Lions put 11 men behind the ball in a defensive showing last portrayed by Michael Caine in Zulu.
However, despite England's decision to sit on the lead and defend, the Mexican's wave after wave of attacks led to few clear cut chances, with substitutes John Stones, Dan Burn and Djed Spence all performing brilliantly to preserve their side's advantage.
Defeating the host nation
In the lead up to the game, much was made of the Mexican's natural advantage of acclimatisation to the difficulties of playing at altitude, despite the gulf in class between the two sides on paper. The Azteca stadium is renowned for its hostile atmosphere and ability to spur their team onto greater heights, and England had never before beaten a tournament's host nation on their own turf.
But England absorbed the crowd's pressure and silenced them with controlled possession before two quick-fire goals left the stadium flat. The sending off of Quansah and Raul Jimenez's penalty spurred the crowd back into life, but England handled the occasion in a way many of those who went before might have been unable to.
Side before self
The headlines were written when Quansah's red card compounded England's dramas at right back and highlighted the decision not to include Real Madrid star Trent Alexander-Arnold. In any other era, Alexander-Arnold would have been a certainty for inclusion in the squad, but Tuchel's approach is different and it is brave.
The emphasis on the collective over the individual was on full display as England defended with their backs to the wall. England's players ran, harried and put their bodies on the line in a show of unity and togetherness. Tuchel is paid to make big decisions, and leaving Alexander-Arnold out of his squad was as big as they come. But the game's ending and post-match celebrations showed that this is a team that has come together since arriving in the Americas and just might be one of their greatest strengths.
