England ended Mexico’s World Cup on home soil with a 3-2 victory in the round of 16 at the Estadio Azteca, a match that lurched from control to chaos after Jude Bellingham struck twice in two minutes late in the first half. The Real Madrid midfielder headed in Bukayo Saka’s cross on 36 minutes and, almost immediately, finished a move started by Anthony Gordon’s high turnover to make it 2-0. Mexico, who had begun brightly, pulled one back before the interval when Julián Quiñones volleyed in, and the contest tilted further when England’s Jarell Quansah was sent off early in the second half for a foul on Jesús Gallardo. Yet it was the ten men who extended their lead: a penalty converted by Harry Kane after Raúl Rangel brought down Gordon. Raúl Jiménez replied from the spot for Mexico, but despite late pressure and an Édson Álvarez header that flashed wide, England held on.

Mexico’s elimination followed a tournament that had stirred genuine belief. They had won four consecutive matches without conceding, topping their group with nine points and then beating Ecuador 2-0 in the round of 32. The round-of-16 fixture drew a domestic television audience of 58 million, a record for a Mexican broadcast. But the defeat extended a painful sequence: Mexico have now fallen at this stage in eight straight World Cups, their last quarter-final appearance coming in 1986, when they were also hosts.

The match was the final act of Javier Aguirre’s third stint as national coach. He had announced before the tournament that he would step down afterwards, and in his post-match press conference he confirmed his departure, describing himself as “proud but hurt” and naming assistant Rafael Márquez as his successor. “I leave with mixed feelings,” Aguirre said. “On one hand, proud of the family we built. On the other, it’s a very painful way to fall.” Captain Edson Álvarez said the squad had never felt inferior, while midfielder Erik Lira, singled out for praise by Bellingham, admitted that “five minutes of lost concentration cost us dearly.”

Beyond the pitch, the night produced scenes that FIFA highlighted as an example of mutual respect. Mexican supporters stayed to applaud both teams, and outside the stadium fans from both nations swapped shirts, sang together and posed for photographs. British visitors described the hospitality as extraordinary, with one viral video showing a fan saying Mexicans were “the most beautiful people, the best fans in the world.” In Mexico, the defeat triggered a wave of gallows-humour memes, a familiar coping mechanism for a fanbase accustomed to last-16 exits.

England advance to a quarter-final against Norway in Miami Gardens on 11 July, while Mexico begin a new cycle under Márquez, with the 2030 World Cup qualifying campaign and regional tournaments ahead. The Azteca, which staged its likely final World Cup match, fell silent, but the images of supporters from two continents celebrating together will linger as long as the result.