Kane, England Battle Past Mexico Into Quarter-Finals

A Rollercoaster Night in Mexico City
Few matches in this tournament have matched the drama England and Mexico produced. Jude Bellingham struck twice to put the Three Lions 2-0 up early on, only for Mexico to hit back with a goal of their own. Things got tougher for England when Jarell Quansah picked up a red card just after half-time, leaving them to see out the rest of the match with ten men.

Despite being a man short, England pushed further ahead when Kane converted a penalty to make it 3-1. Mexico weren't finished, though, and Raul Jimenez scored from the spot after Kane conceded a foul in the box, setting up a nervy finish. England held their nerve in the closing stages, showing composure and grit to secure the win and set up a quarter-final against Norway.

Kane, who has now scored six goals in the tournament, said every player had to find something within themselves to push through such a difficult match. He praised his teammates for the way they fought, saying the togetherness they always talk about was truly put to the test in a match away from home against a strong Mexican side. He added that facing such adversity only brought the squad closer together.

Notably, Mexico had gone unbeaten across ten previous World Cup matches played in Mexico City, spanning the 1970, 1986 and 2026 tournaments, making England's win at that venue even more significant.

Tuchel Praises Team Spirit Ahead of Norway Clash
England head coach Thomas Tuchel echoed his captain's pride, describing the match as extremely difficult and full of momentum swings. He said that even when things got tough, his players refused to give up and kept their belief until the end, adding that the team left everything on the pitch and is now fully focused on the next round.

England will face Norway in the quarter-finals at Miami Stadium on Saturday, 11 July. Norway reached this stage after a surprise 2-1 win over Brazil, with star forward Erling Haaland scoring twice. Kane acknowledged that Norway will be a tough opponent with several dangerous players, noting their win over Brazil as proof of their quality. For now, though, he said the focus was on enjoying this victory before preparations for the next challenge begin.