And we’ll sign off here. We’ll leave you with David Hytner’s report from a brain-melting, mindbending thriller of an evening:
Updated
Our player ratings are in. You’ll never guess which England player Dan Burn got a 9/10:
Updated
Some reader comments from our match report:
Tuchel was not happy about the ref: “Just not good enough,” was the England manager’s verdict.
Updated
More from Thomas Tuchel:
“If a team has heart and belief then it’s this team. They did it on pure will. No words. Iconic match, iconic stadium, we overcame so much adversity today. We just refused to give in on a level that is absolutely admirable.”
He also spoke about Henderson’s injury: “Not good. Jordan just fell over and injured his wrist – it looks really bad.”
Updated
Jordan Henderson was carried off on a stretcher after falling over an advertising board during the celebrations. He was given oxygen. Could be a broken arm. He was also booked when he was on the sidelines as an unused sub.
Here’s Jude Bellingham on the situation:
“He’s in a bit of bother but our medical team have got everything under control probably. Best not to give too much detail when I don’t know too much what is going on. Everyone was there to support him and even that was a beautiful thing to see.”
That’s a big “probably”.
Updated
How we laughed when Birmingham City retired Jude Bellingham’s number. Looks like a pretty good decision now. Here’s the man himself:
“With 10 men, defending how we defended our box, clinical like we were in their box. Big-pressure moments that maybe in years gone by, especially me watching as a fan as a little kid, probably England would have crumbled. This team stuck together until the last second … That’s what this team is about.”
He also paid tribute to Mexico:
“The atmosphere was by far the best I’ve played against in international football. This country as a footballing country is magnificent. The reception we had coming off the plane was hostile but it was a beautiful thing to see in terms of how passionate one country can be about their team.”
How do you summarize all that in one story? David Hytner has done it:
Last mailbag check
George Meikle: “My player of the game? Jordan Pickford. HK second.”
Hugh Malloy: All the flair of Bellingham, speed of Gordon and coolness of Kane, it comes down to Big Dan Burn rejecting overhead kicks with his face and John Stones clearing everything out there with 100 minutes on the clock. Legendary stuff.
More Kane (by someone who was able to take better notes than I was):
The game?
It was a crazy game. We had to fight. I’ve just been singing there, I can’t really talk. All the occasion, the team, everything against us – we found a way.
Penalty
I thought I got to the ball first. It was one of those days the ref gave a lot against us. In the end it didn’t matter so I’m happy.
The fans?
Just look at them here – incredible, unbelievable support. I’m speechless, I can’t even talk.
The crowd was, of course, overwhelmingly Mexican, but a hardy group of English fans made their presence known.
Again – the penalty call against Kane was correct, but a lot of Mexican infractions went unpunished. Having a player standing over you and yelling at you probably isn’t pleasant.
Last mailbag check (thank you for the countless emails today, especially the pictures from where you’re watching):
Colum Fordham: “It’s hard to single out one man of the match so I’ll choose two. I’d say Jordan Pickford could go neck and neck with Jude Bellingham for his quite outstanding saves, two goals prevented that rival Jude’s two goals. They were both immense in keeping England in such a tough, heart-stopping game. Gordon also played a scorcher.
Tuchel made some very astute substitutions, bravely taking off the captain Harry Kane.”
I’d lean Bellingham for getting it done at both ends, but Pickford had complete control of his penalty area.
To wit …
J Shepherd: “The question ‘how did England win this?’ We conceded 0.01xg non penalty chances in the second half. Most of it after going down to 10 men. Immense defensive performance in the second half.”
And a lot of that was due to Pickford coming out to punch or catch dangerous crosses. But there’s plenty of credit to go around, and it’s worth singling out sub John Stones, who came into a difficult situation and made several big interventions with immaculate poise.
Thomas Tuchel:
“We needed everything. It was super difficult and always in the moments when we thought we catch the momentum, we had like setbacks. But that’s proper mentality. … When the going gets tough, they never give up. They never lose belief. It was one step more. We need two days now. We need to take this in. This is at stake. It’s Mexico. So they need to take this in, and yeah, now it’s full steam ahead.”
Harry Kane has no voice but is trying to get through a postgame interview.
“It was a crazy game. We had to find something. The occasion, the team, everything against us – we found a way.”
On the penalty call against him: “I thought I come to the ball first.”
No, replay clearly showed he did not, but credit to the captain, whose smile and laugh as he tried to get out a few words are something fans should treasure.
Other stats
Shots: 20-6 Mexico
Shots on target: 5-5
Touches in opponent’s box: 37-14 Mexico
Passes: Mexico completed 420, 92% of their attempts. England: 195
Updated
I’m going to peek at the stats myself, but Opta has noted this:
“33.2% – England had just 33.2% possession vs Mexico, their lowest in a Fifa World Cup match on record since 1966, while their 48 clearances were their most in a World Cup game since making 54 against Belgium in 1990.”
Updated
Scott Martin: “The Two Lions advance. The third gave his life on the pitch.”
Daniel Halladay: “Surely the referee needs to stop play on account of the chanting the way we’ve seen in CONCACAF matches?”
AJ from India: “I don’t think I’ve seen a more chaotic game this tournament, if not the entire year so far. Way to wake myself up at 8:15 in the morning right now.”
Philip Reed: “Love the choice of Soda Stereo during the “Pausa de Hidratación.” I don’t know if going with an Argentine band is a bold choice or if they just figure the crowd got enough Maná in the opening. What a game eh? I turned it off in the first and 3 goals broke out.”
The MTV Unplugged version of Cuando Los Angeles Lloran is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve ever heard.
Kyle Green: “What’s next a foul for bad breath? It just feels like another one of those England games. I feel like I am having a panic attack.”
Samuel Dodson: “Is it just me who thinks it strange how the Mexico players seem to get away with screaming in the referee’s face, etc., but the England players (Kane in this instance) get penalised?”
Hugh Molloy: “Funny way to end up there, but this feels like the back 4 England should have for the big games.”
David Dyte: “I can’t tell if football is coming home or not, but I feel like it’s searching for a good fare on Expedia right now.”
Peter Rehwaldt: “I’d love to see FIFA empty the stands for the second half because of the homophobic chants from the Azteca fans. I also want a pony.”
Jeffrey Lilly (USA): “Here’s hoping this exorcises some demons for England, and gets all of those dour, doomsaying England fans to have some belief in this team. You can definitely beat anyone left on your side of the bracket. Enjoy the ride!”
This one came in during the first half but is still valid.
Marc Willis: “What a pleasure to finally watch a game where both teams are trying to win.”
How did England win this game?
Outplayed early, but then Bellingham scored twice in short order. Mexico reclaimed the momentum and had England hanging on at the end of the half.
A penalty each way, but England down to 10. Facing one of the fiercest home environments in the world, short-handed, and they managed to hang on.
Updated
Final: Mexico 2-3 England
A legendary win for the Three Lions.
Updated
Pickford punches it clear.
Corner kick. Blocked. Another shot. Blocked. Another corner – but surely time is up?
JUST WIDE OF GOAL! It’s a desperate clearance by John Stones with multiple Mexican players looming.
Updated
Jimenez heads back into the box, but Rogers clears. Mexico gathers for one last chance.
90+11 Physios are working on the downed Mexican player just over the goal line as Mexico attack. 10v10. 40 seconds left.
90+10 Deflection in the mixer, and the ball bounces high into the hands of a grateful Pickford while a Mexican player is down hurt just out of play.
90+9 Spence slides to get the ball out of play and concede a corner. Two minutes to go.
90+8 Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’ into the future …
Throw-in to England deep in Mexico’s half, and Vazquez gets in the AR’s face.
Yellow card to Jordan Henderson. Who isn’t in the game. He’s wandering with a sub’s pinnie on.
90+7 Gallardo with a much better cross, and it’s a one-timer from Jimenez, off target.
90 +6 Bicycle-kick attempt, and Burn sacrifices his body to block at point-blank range.
Declan Rice with a big block as well.
Updated
90+6 Pickford’s goal kick goes all the way to his opposite numbers.
Balls fly further at altitude, you know.
90+5 Another overhit ball for Mexico.
90+5 Tuchel loses his mind as he argues a throw-in call.
90+4 Gallardo sends in his worst cross of the night. It barely gets inside the corner flag.
90+3 England retreat, ready to absorb more pressure.
Spence tries to chip the keeper from midfield! Not the worst effort.
Updated
90+2 Corner to Mexico. Pickford punches but is lucky no one shoots while he’s on the ground.
Gutierrez tries to get the ball in the box, but he sends it over.
Joe Sampson asks if time moves more slowly at altitude.
Not when I’m on MBM duty.
Surprised Tuchel didn’t make two subs in that final window. He’s only used four and can’t make another.
We’ll have 11 minutes of stoppage time.
90 min Sub for England – it’ll be Rogers coming in for Harry Kane, who hands the armband to Stones.
89 min Fidalgo takes a shot from 25, but no problem for Pickford.
88 min And again, Bellingham wins a challenge, but his teammates don’t rally around him and clear.
88 min Bellingham again involved on defense, kicking the ball over his own head to clear.
87 min Play continues for an eternity, and then as it turns out, someone was offside way back when. Mexico must be perturbed that they just wasted time and effort on a sequence in which a goal would’ve just been overturned, most likely.
86 min Pickford out for a powerful punch clear.
Updated
86 min Four or five bodies converge and fall in the box right in front of Pickford. Mexico want a penalty. Shocker.
85 min England press forward, and Konsa draws a foul. Free kick from 40 yards. Partially cleared, but England possess – until Spence tries to find Kane in the box but kicks instead to the keeper.
84 min Overturn on a goal kick/corner kick call! Initially awarded as a corner to Mexico, but the call is changed.
82 min Jiménez blasts a shot over.
The disgusting chant is heard at full volume as Pickford takes the goal kick.
Updated
81 min Last sub for Mexico: Quiñones out, Martinez in.
80 min England still struggling to break free.
Updated
Quick email: Could Rory McCafferty, who wrote earlier to say he was in the stadium, check in?
78 min Gallardo keeps getting crosses into the box. This one is headed out.
Sub for Mexico: Fidalgo for Sanchez.
78 min England’s formation looks like a 6-2-1 right now.
77 min Nearly a bicycle-kick attempt, but two Mexican players were too close to each other.
76 min Dig in for 20+ minutes of England doing all it can to resist a relentless Mexican attack.
Catching up on the recent yellows:
Guéhi
Sanchez
O’Reilly
Now the subs: Burn and Spence for O’Reilly and Anderson.
Burt Bosma: “The last time England played a knockout game in Mexico, they lost after leading 2-0. Just saying.”
Mark Raven: “What’s the most dangerous lead in football? Any lead held by England’s men’s team in a World Cup or Euros knockout game.
Hydration/mail break
Will Woodward looks up a key fact:
England sendings-off in World Cups
Ray Wilkins Morocco 1982 0-0
David Beckham Argentina 1998 2-2, 3-4 on pens
Wayne Rooney Portugal 2006 0-0, 1-3 on pens
Quansah Mexico 2026
Goal! Mexico 2-3 England (Jiménez 69)
A lot of short steps at first. Pickford moves a little to his left, and Jiménez bangs it into the other side of the goal.
Updated
Penalty to Mexico
Yellow to Kane. Jiménez will take.
Gutierrez raised his leg to play the ball. Kane raised his leg to try to clear it. Gutierrez gets his leg closer.
Updated
66 min It’s desperate defending for England – lest we forget, they’re playing with 10 men. Mexico shout for a penalty on Kane, but it’s frankly absurd.
Or is it? Faghani goes to take a look. Kane is incredulous.
65 min Gallardo works on the left and sends in a cross – knocked out for a Mexico corner.
63 min Stones makes his presence felt right away with a sturdy block on a tight-angle shot.
Mexico keep the ball, play high and Pickford has to plow through a teammate to punch clear.
61 min Gutiérrez and Giménez replace Romo and Mora. Gutierrez grew up in Illinois and actually played two friendlies for the USA before his nationality switch.
Updated
Goal! Mexico 1-3 England (Kane 60 pen)
No stutter-step. No feinting. Just one of the best forwards in English history running straight through the ball and smashing it into the net. Rangel guessed correctly but had no chance.
Updated
That should, by the Laws of the Game, be a yellow card to Rangel, but we haven’t seen it yet.
Kane steps up for the penalty.
Penalty to England
Long goal kick, Kane flick-on header, and Gordon races on to it. The keeper goes for the ball and gets Gordon instead.
Updated
57 min England need another defender, and it’s John Stones coming in to replace Saka.
55 min And instead of a free kick to England at the other end, play is brought back amd Mexico have a free kick.
Kane rolls over, seemingly hurt, after defending. Gallardo stands over him and offers a few unpleasantries. That has to be cautioned, but it’s not.
Red card to Quansah
Yellow to Alvarez for getting in the officials’ faces, but that’s not what matters.
People will debate the Balogun call until the end of time. This one? No debate. Studs well up off the ground, hard slide, studs straight into a player’s leg. Textbook.
Updated
52 min While Mexico shout for a foul, England press forward with numbers. Gordon acrobatically draws a foul, and that’ll be a free kick just outside the box.
Replay shows … yeah, Quansah, slid with studs up. This is far worse than what Balogun did.
VAR review. England may be going 10v11.
Updated
51 min Bellingham makes a surging run, but Alvarez dispossesses him at the corner of the box.
50 min Awkward backpass to Pickford from midfield, but the keeper deals with it. If he’d missed, it would’ve just been a corner, anyway.
49 min OFF THE POST! O’Reilly from long range – beats the keeper but hits the woodwork with a solid thud.
49 min CHANCE for England. O’Reilly gets up into the box and taps it back but misses Kane.
48 min Mexico also pressing, and England can’t get out of their own half. Long-range shot is blocked at the top of the penalty area, and now England are in possession.
Stats show England have only had 31% of the possession.
46 min: England pressing high up the field. Kane called for a foul. The wind is strong enough to blow Kane’s hair around.
Mexico subs one defender for another, and the armband passes from the departing player to the incoming players. It’s Álvarez (West Ham) for Montes.
Halftime mail
I’m going to have to pick a few at random – and my apologies for not understanding the Viagra references. I always miss the viral stories.
Scott Wedel: “I think any local politicians wishing to stay in office will declare local clocks are stopped until the game is completed. Thus, people can stay in local pubs until the game is over.”
Nemekhbayar Luuzan: “To all those complaining about stupid kick-off times in the UK : welcome to the lives of the other half of the world (Asia) where Premier League fans have to wake up at ungodly hours to support their team.”
California residents get up at 4 am to catch the early games, too.
Rick McGahey: “Welcome to CONCACAF, this type of overreaction, grabbing the ball, hyper complaining, is a general feature of games in the region when the USA plays qualifiers. Ref should manage but it’s a feature not a bug.”
Mark Raven: “Number of Times England Sideline Throw-in Sails Across the End Line Without Being Touched? My guess: 14.5.”
Hey, it’s common in Under-10 games where I live.
Darryl Tait: “I’m hoping England drank as much of the local water as possible, it really helps with endurance. Though, as a US Soccer fan, it disappoints me that they won’t get the full Azteca experience of playing at noon, in the heat and smog, at altitude.”
Thunderstorms often leave cool air behind them, and the rain is probably refreshing as long as it doesn’t get too hard.
Joe Pearson: “No wonder England keep playing long balls over the midfield. It’s a mosh pit down there!”
Jem Walker: “Working a quiet late shift at a certain sports federation in North America. As an Englishman, I’m outnumbered by green shirts in the office, but we’ve agreed on a shot of mezcal for every Mexican goal and a shot of gin (why not) for every one England gets in the back of the net. Should be an interesting night at work.”
I think I’d sneak in some water.
Martin Gamage: “Don’t want to get ahead of myself but this is one of the best halves (well, two quarters) I’ve seen from an England team. They’ve stayed calm, bought fouls to break the game up and then scored two terrific goals. The first, on the break, was really well worked. Great stuff.”
Colum Fordham: “After the early Mexican onslaught, England have countered not just once but twice. Clinical finishes by Bellingham but superb support play by Rice, Saka and Lane. Also very impressed by Gordon.”
One thing that has to be addressed …
Over the years, Mexico’s federation has been fined, and teams have been made to play in empty stadiums because fans simply would not stop yelling a one-word slur when opposing goalkeepers took goal kicks.
It’s clearly audible in the crowd tonight.
Would you like to see what’s happening in pictures? We have that covered:
Halftime: Mexico 1-2 England
Have you ever seen 15 wilder minutes in a World Cup game?
Mexico was outperforming England. Then one sequence of passes changed everything. Within seconds of the next kickoff, England’s lead doubled.
But Mexico struck back. And they nearly did it twice more.
England lead, but it’s by the excellence of Pickford’s two superhuman saves. And Bellingham has gotten it done at both ends.
45 min +6 I think Gordon sold that one a bit. While shielding the ball, he flings his body back into Sánchez, then falls.
Doesn’t matter. Half is over.
45 min +4 GOAL-SAVING CLEARANCE from Bellingham. He scores at one end and saves at the other. Off a Mexican corner kick, the ball is nodded over to Montes, who has the ball bound for his feet just 2-3 yards from goal … until Bellingham stretches out a foot and somehow knocks it up and over the bar.
Updated
45 min +3 SECOND BIG SAVE FROM PICKFORD! Jiménez beats the defenders to a ball in the air and sends a header that would’ve nestled just under the bar if not for the quick reaction from the England keeper.
Updated
45 min +1 Five minutes of additional time.
And how did Jiménez miss that?! He just scuffed it wide of a gaping goal.
45 min Both teams have been invigorated, and fortunately, it’s leading to extraordinary hustle rather than anything “physical.”
Goal! Mexico 1-2 England (Quiñones 42)
What’s the most dangerous lead in football?
It’s a free kick from the side of England’s penalty area. Into the mixer it goes, and Montes knocks it backward to Quiñones. The Al-Qadsiah striker rips it into the top of the net.
Updated
Goal! Mexico 0-2 England (Bellingham 38)
This was unexpected.
Kane could’ve shot that. I’d put money on him scoring or forcing a massive save. But he opted to send it to Bellingham even as defenders converged on him. Bellingham gets to it quickly and taps it home.
Updated
Goal! Mexico 0-1 England (Bellingham 36)
England build quickly from the back – not going long, just a succession of midrange passes and Saka crosses.
For Kane? No, it goes over his head, but Bellingham is open and heads it into a nearly open net.
Updated
36 min Vasquez chips the ball over for Jiménez, who has a step on Guéhi but can’t get a good shot.
35 min O’Reilly’s foot clearly came up early on a throw-in. Good thing the officials weren’t watching too carefully. Such calls are the bane of the existence of youth referees.
34 min England aren’t pressing much here, allowing Mexico to pass it around. Will that help England at altitude?
33 min The referee is going to have to call a foul on someone. The action is going so fast and furious that it’s hard to tell who started which altercation, but he simply can’t let everything go for much longer.
32 min Very long possession for Mexico. Rice momentarily wins it back but has nowhere to go with it. Back to Mexico, but their patience runs out, and it’s a high rushed shot in the end.
Latest forecast: The heaviest rain should come in the second half.
30 min Maybe the first sign of a wet field, as Saka slips while trying to keep the ball in play.
29 min Faghani is once again telling Lira to watch his behavior again. If Lira keeps it up, Faghani might once again tell him to watch his behavior again.
28 min Bellingham tracks back to win the ball but then takes on one Mexican player too many, immediately giving it back.
26 min Chance for England on a tremendous effort by Gordon to run down a long pass that was nearly out of play over the goal line. He tapped it back in play and shot from an acute angle. Saved.
Updated
Rory McCafferty: “I am at the stadium and it is everything they said it was. Hands down best stadium I have ever been to, atmosphere is otherworldly. English are massively out-numbered but everything has been in great humour so far and in great fun, absolute top experience. The pride the Mexico fans have for their country is quite something.”
Mac Millings: “In my experience (first 25 years in the UK - then other places - last 17 in South Carolina), the UK gets more consistent rain, and they have the occasional thunderstorm, but they have absolutely no idea what a real Southeastern US (or Mexican) can’t-see-three-feet-in-front-of-you storm is.”
It doesn’t look like it’s raining hard right now, despite the forecast.
Drink! Or just stand on the field and take in the rain.
21 min Corner to England, headed away, but England get a throw-in – which O’Reilly throws over the goal line.
19 min England are having trouble getting out of their own half, but a pointless foul near midfield (Montes on Bellingham) helps. Montes has a few angry words and gestures with the referee.
17 min It’s a cool (and wet) night, but the temperature is rising with some of the challenges here. Faghani will have to be on top of things.
15 min HUGE SAVE BY PICKFORD! Alvarado crosses to Jiménez, who flings himself at the ball and heads it for the lower corner, only to see the Everton keeper somehow get a hand down to it.
Updated
13 min England go over the top as Guéhi finds Saka timing a run very well. But Saka can’t quite control it.
12 min Pickford gets his hands on the ball for the first time in open play, as Alvarado’s pass bounces too far for his teammates.
10 min Long possession for England. Lira shields Bellingham away from the ball and is stunned that there’s no foul and further stunned when the throw-in goes to England.
9 min I am not correct. England run an overly complicated routine off the set piece.
8 min England pass around in their own half, not finding many options going forward. They find Bellingham, who plays left to Gordon, who draws a corner kick.
I’m predicting a goal here.
6 min Lira fouls near midfield, then tries to pick up the ball and walk off with it. Kane comes over to try to retrieve it. The referee has a word with Kane but then calls over Lira, who is astounded and angry.
4 min Mexican fans are eager to chant ole with every pass. They had to be patient while one player considered options. An overeager Sánchez fouls Gordon, allowing England a free kick to relieve the pressure.
Updated
3 min Romo is still down. Bellingham and Kane had a chat with Lira in the small group of players standing around the injured player, which is rather strange.
1 min YELLOW to Declan Rice, who had a high boot while that caught the onrushing Romo, who stays down.
Updated
Kickoff
The game is indeed underway.
Anthems
It’s difficult to imagine a crowd singing their national anthem with as much fervor as the Mexican crowd just did.
England will likely need to weather an early storm here in more ways than one.
Updated
Officials
The referee is Alireza Faghani, who emigrated from Iran to Australia in 2019. He also refereed the France-Senegal game, drawing some criticism for sticking with a decision not to award a penalty kick after Sadio Mané upended Kylian Mbappé, choosing to stick with his initial decision after reviewing the replay at the VAR’s behest. His other game so far in this World Cup was the 0-0 draw between Colombia and Portugal.
The ARs are also from Australia. Nicolas Gallo (Colombia) has the VAR assignment.
Weather update
The game is still scheduled to kick off in 15 minutes.
Forecast? Very wet. But no lightning. Knock on whatever wood you can can find.
More detail on the Balogun situation …
And more mail …
Carl Remmer: “Justin is thinking of the Mayans with their rudimentary basketball/football hybrid. The acoustics are so good in the arena they played in (even in the partly dilapidated state when I went there) that you can here a whisper from 50m away.”
Jen Oram: “There’s some doubt about Aztec ball game sacrifices - some historians think the bouncing heads may actually have been those of the winning team, granted an early entry into heaven for their valour. (What happened to the losers, who knows.)”
Postgame press conference with the losing team: “They wanted it more.”
Will Christian: “England fans watching their national team at an ungodly hour? Aw. Shenanigans in Mexico? Sad. Just wait until the batteries and bags start flying. Enjoy your CONCACAF moment, England! PS - I described CONCACAF to a British friend as ‘Imagine you’re playing Scotland, in the sleet, on a grocery store parking lot in Aberdeen, with shopping trolleys still in it.’”
Pam: “In response to Dave Hogg’s comment: I shudder to think of playing not mere 90 minutes, but the possibility of 120 minutes plus the penalty shootout drama in front of a partisan Azteca.”
William Lee-Wright: “Naturalized Norwegian citizen here, moved from England 16 years ago, writing from Murcia in Spain, where we’re coming down from the electric experience of seeing Norway boss Brazil. My son Severin and I are staying up to see to see who Norway will play in the QF. We’re already discussing the merits of half and half face paint. I’m genuinely torn. Losing to Mexico tonight would be better than getting beaten by the row boys - my (football) life in Trondheim would be unbearable!”
Richard Bowden (one of several prophecies): “In 1100, King Henry I, is associated with the early use of the lion standard. Fast forward exactly 926 years and you land in 2026. That number stands out straight away: 926 looks like 96 (the Queen’s age when she died) and 26 (the year of the final) combined into one cycle. Or you can add a 1, you get 1926, the year the Queen was born, the one person who handed England the World Cup trophy in 1966!”
Matt Haythorne: “I’m in Vietnam and another hour rain delay will mean I can watch the second half as I’ll have finished work for the morning. I thought I could watch the first half, as it stands my 2 hours of work today (it’s a hard life) fall directly over the match time.”
Kevin Dwyer: “I was at the Azteca as a young man of 21 back in 1970. Crap seats really high up at the back but what an atmosphere. Four years of saving on an apprentice wage but worth it to watch some football legends in the flesh. I am desperately trying to stay awake, no doubt I will nod off and wake up at the final whistle.”
I’m hoping that doesn’t happen to me.
Mary Waltz: “Beau, who has more experience playing on a rainy soggy pitch, Mexico or England?”
Here’s something I don’t know – how often does England have torrential rain and/or thunderstorms? The stereotype is that it’s a 24/7 drizzle. The thunderstorms in the southern USA and Mexico, on the other hand, are intense.
Julian Merz: “I’m watching in Sweden with a few stragglers from the Norway game who don’t have to get up early/at all tomorrow. The weather delay seems to have taken the wind out of their sails a bit though.”
Daniel Whitehead: “Wigan fan here, watching in Idaho with my in-laws, writing to share a funny moment on the Fox commentary: they’re talking about the conditions, and Peter Crouch in a poncho is being asked by a commentator half his size to explain what he means by England’s experience of ‘Tuesday night games in Stoke’.”
James Beesley with an addition to the All-Time Elevation XI: “Keith ‘Dizzy’ Gillespie?”
I’m going to steer away of most email related to politics (the points have been made), but if I get something as clever as this, great …
Andrew Goudie: “President Donald J. Trump has always stood strong for the Second Amendment and protected Americans’ right to use the Balo-GUN. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Weather watch
If I’m reading this forecast correctly, we’re expecting 1.17 inches of rain – or very close to 3cm – to fall during the game if it starts at 7 pm in Mexico City (9 pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific, 11 am Australian Eastern Standard Time, 2 am British Summer Time).
Updated
Reuven Fletcher: “If there IS more lighting and the game is delayed by another hour til 3am in the UK will people be thrown out of the pub as penalties are about to take place? This would be highly amusing. BoxPark etc emptying and pints left un-chucked. This would compensate for further delay tbh.”
Jonathan Dawe: “Too young for the 1959 game, but did go to the 1966 version for my first ever England game. Also went to ENG-FRA, FRA-MEX, ENG-ARG, ENG-POR, POR-Soviet Union, and the final. Not too many memories, but double celebrity sighting at the final. Peter Cook and Dudley Moore were sitting in the row in front of me and my dad. Now living in Tampa, I did see the NZ match the other week, but prices too high for a senior citizen to attend.”
Speakeasy Ray: “I am half English, half Mexican - been waiting for a match of this magnitude for several decades. The delay just heightens it. Can’t wait.”
Kári Tulinius: “Icelandic television just switched to the feed from the Azteca. Even half-empty with 80s pop music blaring, this is the platonic ideal of a football stadium. And that’s not even taking into account its history, Pelé and Maradona and all that. If football has a home, and I tend to fall into the camp that thinks football’s home is everywhere, but if it does have a home, the Azteca is its home. What a stadium! Now let’s hope there’s a match today.”
Updated
The rain is starting to fall in the Azteca but spirits remain high. The fans are having a karaoke battle. Mexican pop followed by classic British tunes. Oasis was roundly booed by the locals, but in an interesting twist Blur was met with more warmth. Kick-off remains due to take place at 7pm local. The players remain indoors. We haven’t seen them yet. There’s training equipment laid out in England’s half of the pitch but none of it’s been touched.
Fans in the lower tiers are starting to head inside.
Updated
More mail
Justin Kavanagh: “As an Irishman, can I extend my best wishes to the English as they sit and stew in this epic stadium anticipating the battle. While they wait, maybe they can maybe reflect that this arena (real name: Azteca) is named after a people who would haul captives to the top of their stepped temples before cutting out the hearts as human sacrifices; they would then let the still-beating hearts bounce down the steps to the masses below. They also used to play a type of early football with the heads of the defeated. Or was that the Incas? Well, either way, something to think about while they wait out the thunder and lightning. Nothing to fear at all, then, lads.”
The NASL had a team called the Los Angeles Aztecs. Elton John was a part-owner. George Best and Johan Cruyff played for them at some point.
Lee Carney: “As an English kid who moved to Australia when I was 10 in 1988 I am not having all these English complaints about the kick-off time, and especially annoyed at people talking about not watching it live, I not only had to endure all those penalty shoot-out losses, but I endured them all at 3am or 5am or similar, if you’re a true fan you will get up or stay up and watch it live!”
Yeah! Or follow The Guardian’s live coverage.
Matthew Carpenter-Arevalo: “Normally Latin American teams will cheer for each other in a World Cup with maybe the exception of Brazil and Argentina. However, after the reception we received in Mexico last week, Ecuadorian WhatsApp is filled with memes about how all 18 million of us are converted England supporters. In the end, our team didn’t show up. Nonetheless, the fact that The authorities allowed for those pregame shenanigans to happen feels like an injustice.”
Welcome to Concacaf.
Andrew Goudie: “It’s the first time in world cup history that three different players have scored seven goals in a tournament. What’s more, Haaland missed a game and Argentina haven’t played in this round yet!”
I can’t think of a time in which the big-name players have done so much to justify the hype.
Dave Hogg: “Any MBM readers who have visited Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park will understand the English team’s dilemma. Both are at an elevation of 2,240 meters or 7,350 feet. Of course, they would have to play a full 90 minutes to get the full effect.”
Phil Withall: “The delay in the kick-off is most welcome, going to the pub at 11 in the morning is slightly more respectable than 10. Thank you Mexican weather for avoiding my shame.”
Robi Polgar: (Re: Basketball twins) “When I was a wee lad, living in Phoenix (“The Valley of the Sun”), the local NBA team had the identical Van Arsdale twins: Tom and Dick. I don’t know if they had a younger brother named Harry.”
The University of Virginia’s women’s team had Heather and Heidi Burge. One of them said her favorite quote was, “Hey Heidi … I mean … Heather … whoever you are, get in for your sister.”
Peter Rehwaldt (who also sends Peter Oh his applause for the Kansas City reference): “Will Gianni Infantino overrule the local Mexico City officials and issue an order suspending the ruling to delay the start of the England-Mexico match, in order to protect the television ratings in the US and elsewhere? Sure, the rule *says* local authorities have the final word, but there are rules and then there are rules, amiright?”
I think they should just skip the intermediaries and declare the thunderstorm over.
David Harris: “Before we get started with a depressing 90+3 Mexico winner, can I just express my thanks to all publicans and, more importantly, their staff, up and down the land, for their sterling efforts over the next hours plus one?”
Tip your wait staff.
Weather check
As far as I can tell from various weather outlets, it seems the good news is that the thunder and lightning will subside.
The bad news is that it’ll really start raining at that point.
A few more from people who’ve seen some of the historic games mentioned below.
Brian Draper: “A quick question re superstition protocol tonight. The last time England were at the Azteca for a World Cup game 40 years ago, I was a spotty 17-year-old watching at a mate’s house over the road. I’ve just realised I’ve been in constant WhatsApp contact with said mate Chris during this tournament, after all these years, and our proximity tonight, albeit on-line, could prove very bad luck for the boys. Just wanted to alert anyone else who may need to avoid any similar pitfalls which reach us back to the hand of God in 1986. Break the link!”
Lawrence Whyte: “While I did not see the England Mexico game in 1959 I remember my granddad being disappointed. Same granddad took me to the final at Wembley in 1966 - what a day! Fast forward 20 years and I took my 6 year old son to Mexico City and we watched Diego Maradona’s hand of God goal right in front of us. Now with 2 sons I was also at the game where Beckham fouled Simeone and got sent off. Now living in the US I saw the England v Croatia game with my now 3 children. Sadly tickets are just too expensive to see any more games live. It’s been a thrill watching England all these years and will watch tonight’s game at the Azteca with baited breath.”
Daniel Jeffreys: “I was alive for all of those 50s and 60s Mexico games and especially remember the 2-0 victory at Wembley in 1966. I recall that the black and white TV transmission made the Mexican team look very sinister in what appeared to be an all black kit. There was much relief when Charlton banged in the first goal from distance after England’s first error to reach the net was disallowed. Maybe Kane can channel Charlton in the Azteca tonight.
“One evening, months after England had won the World Cup, Bristol Rovers Supporters Club showed a film at the old Eastville Stadium of England’s 1966 journey including the final in full. I was 11 and me and my mate Phillip Cross snuck out onto the darkened field while the adults watched the Wembley triumph in reverence. With a frayed tennis ball me and Phil re-enacted the wins over Mexico, Argentina, Portugal, and West Germany on the old Eastville pitch, recreating every shot and goal – including the disputed England one under the crossbar – until we got caught by a watchman who, hearing what we were doing, let us carry on and stayed to watch our shadow play with the looming gasometers (Up the Gas!) as our backdrop.
“Back then footballers like Hurst and Styles and Banks could be created from intense matches with tennis balls on wet asphalt playgrounds. Maybe we have lost that culture and perhaps that’s why we are still waiting to win a second star. And maybe what we also need is more of the analog imagination that had me and Phillip Cross feeling like we were playing in sunlight before 100,000 under the dismal Eastville skies.”
Storm delay mailbag
Nicholas Way: “So we have Konsa and Quansah? That’s not at all confusing, is it?”
Ever seen a basketball game with twins on the same team?
Paul Griffin: “As an Englishman I started to worry about this might not a good night for us, so I decided to watch the Guardian’s coverage of the Tour de France as a distraction. Now I am much more confident and don’t see any harbingers of Mexicans triumphing over Europeans at altitude.”
Tim Stappard: “Let’s stop already with the altitude excuses. Please.”
I’m not English, so I’ll plead … on whatever amendment to the Constitution I can plead.
Vlado: “Hi Beau! I’m a neutral here so I don’t really know which team to pick. England are, let’s be charitable, not quite the neutrals’ favorites across the globe, though this England team are hardly the Galactic Empire. Mexico, on the other hand – do they count as lovable underdogs? I’m not really feeling the Cape Verde vibe. Any advice on who to cheer on their way to being cheerfully crushed by Erling Haaland?”
Mary Waltz: “FIFA and Trump are identical twins. Rules and ethics are for losers. I am an American and I want the USMNT to win. I thought it was a red. But don’t confuse Trump’s corruption with most Americans.”
Have the USA surrendered their lovable underdog status with the political currents swirling around the Balogun reinstatement?
Mac Millings: “Considering all the talk surrounding how high Mexico City is, what better time than this to present my All-Time Elevation XI? Breathless Sealey, Johnny Heightinga, Peako Lopes, Elevasean Dyche, Luwheeze Figo, Andes Townsend, Mason Mountain, Alex Oxygen Chamber-lain, Jozy Altitude, Brahimalayas Díaz, Shane Lung.”
Tim Highward, maybe?
Thomas Preston: “I was just wondering if anyone had an idea about how many fans in England are actually going to stay up and watch the match live. And what the threshold is in order to please the footballing Gods and secure the win?”
US fans packed bars in the overnight hours in 2002. Seemed to help.
Peter Oh: “With the winds of the World Cup having swept the England team from their base to a colorful stadium in another land, I can’t help but wonder what their main character will say upon arrival. ‘Tuchel, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas City anymore!’”
Kickoff delayed one hour
Will update with any further news.
Updated
Lineups
England (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Reilly, Guéhi, Konsa, Quansah; Rice, Anderson; Gordon, Bellingham, Saka; Kane
Subs: D. Henderson, Trafford, Stones, Spence, James, Burn, Chabolah, Madueke, Rashford, Rogers, J. Henderson, Mainoo, Eze, Watkins, Toney
Mexico (4-3-3): Rangel; Gallardo, Montes, Vásquez, Sánchez; Romo, Lira, Mora; Quiñones, Jiménez, Alvarado
Subs: Acevedo, Ochoa, Alvarez, Reyes, M. Chávez, Fidalgo, Pineda, Vargas, L. Chávez, Gutiérrez, Vega, Giménez, González, Huerta, Martínez
For England, Quansah is once again available (see below) and replaces Spence. The others changes from the starting XI against DR Congo are on the wings – Gordon for Rashford on the left, Saka for Madueke on the right.
Mexico make no changes from the side that beat Ecuador 2-0.
Updated
England have now arrived at the stadium! Boos ring out inside this extraordinary bowl as Tuchel, Kane & Co are pictured on the big screen getting off the team bus.
Mexico are here now. Their team bus arrives to plumes of green smoke. Excitement is rising fast!
Updated
Head to head
Mexico won their first matchup against England. If you were alive to see it, I’d love to hear from you. It was in 1959.
England took emphatic revenge two years later with an 8-0 win. Next up was a World Cup matchup in 1966, and England won 2-0 en route to its only World Cup championship.
Mexico got results in the next two infrequent matchups – 0-0 in 1969, 1-0 in 1985 (see previous post). Since then, England have won four straight, all by at least two goals.
Updated
Preamble
There’s a scene from an old episode of Family Guy positing a Rocky film sometime in the future, in which Adrian pleads with Rocky once again not to put himself in harm’s way in the ring.
“Rocky, please don’t go to Mars and fight the Martian.”
“I gotta do what I gotta do.”
“But there’s no oxygen on Mars!”
“Yeah? That means there’s no oxygen for him, either.”
Insert England into the Rocky role here. They’re going into one of world football’s most legendary cauldrons, the Azteca - I mean, Mexico City Stadium.
Consider this: The highest point in England is Scafell Pike in Cumbria. The elevation is 978 meters, or 3,209 feet. It does not have a soccer field.
The Az- ... Mexico City Stadium is at 2,240 meters, or 7,350 feet.
Compounding the problem is the heat. Like the Bird’s Nest in Beijing, site of the first hydration break in a major soccer event (the 2008 Olympics, in which Argentina defeated Nigeria 1-0 on an Ángel Di María goal set up by some prospect named Lionel something), the stadium just traps heat.
In other words, this may be the only stadium in the world in which the best preparation is to read the instructions for baking in a convection oven at altitude.
The good news today is that it’s not particularly hot. The bad news is that thunderstorms and rain showers are blowing through. So instead of a convection oven, maybe it’s more of a soup bowl.
For those of a certain age, England visiting Mexico City isn’t a novelty. The world champions turned up in long sleeves to eke out a 0-0 draw in 1969. England returned in 1985 for losses to Italy and Mexico but then beat West Germany 3-1.
In 1986, England beat Paraguay in Mexico City but had a second game against the multiple limbs of Diego Maradona that didn’t go as well.
David Pleat shared his memories of that one.
Mexico aren’t invincible in their home stadium. The USA have had some success in the past 30 years, starting with a draw in 1998 World Cup qualification and continuing with a friendly win in 2012. The teams drew in their showdowns in the last three qualification cycles. They’ve also lost qualifiers to Costa Rica and Honduras.
More worryingly for England is that Mexico have simply been better at this World Cup. England drew with Ghana and labored past DR Congo. Mexico have won three of four games by two or more goals.
Still, on paper, England have the more talented side. If you look at estimated transfer values at Fotmob, 21 players on England’s side are valued higher than the top player in the Mexican squad.
But this World Cup has been tossing aside talented teams like red cards to US players. (Too soon?)
Basically, you can make a strong case for either team to lose here. But one of them won’t. And that team won’t be facing Brazil, though you could argue that facing Haaland is worse.
Updated
Norway to play winners of Mexico v England
They’ve done it! Two Erling Haaland goals have put Norway into the quarter-finals for the first time. Neymar’s late penalty too little too late.
And with that I’ll hand you over to Beau Dure for the main event.
Arrival of teams put on hold
It has just been announced that the arrival of the teams at the stadium has been put on hold. So, maybe we won’t be fine ....
And another! Norway are heading through. There’s gonna be a lot of rowing routines on the floors of New York bars tonight.
And there’s been a goal in New Jersey, and you’ll never guess who got it:
Rain easing off in Mexico
3.38pm local time/10.38 BST, 5.38pm ET: The rain has massively eased off. Still a bit of thunder to be heard. But feels like we should be OK. (Please read usual disclaimer).
Today’s other big World Cup story: you know how we were all saying how Donald Trump had been mercifully invisible at this tournament …
At the moment there are no suggestions the kick-off will be delayed, although play cannot begin until 30 minutes has passed since lightning was detected within an eight-mile radius.
“Perhaps the Carpenters had it right when they wrote Rainy Days and Mondays,” writes Samuel Dodson, “given the scheduled start time of this match is supposed to be the way those of us in the UK kick off the working week – but all this talk of thunder and lightning is, to quote Queen, very very frightening. What are the chances this storm pulls a Barbra Streisand and rains on our parades and postpones the match?
“And if it is postponed, what advice do you have for those brave enough to venture to the pub in the early hours who may be faced twiddling their thumbs – other than, of course, brainstorming inevitable weather-based football pun headlines? (Although here’s hoping a Hurri-kane force blows this Mexico team away).”
Pubs can technically only stay open till 5am BST, so a delayed kick-off could mean they’re turfing out well lubricated punters just as extra-time’s about to start.
Queiroz quits as Ghana head coach. Bad news for bus-parking fans, with Carlos Queiroz announcing on Sunday he was leaving his job as Ghana coach after they were eliminated from the World Cup at the last-32 stage, AFP reports.
The much-travelled Quieroz, who coached Iran at the last World Cup in Qatar, said: “I leave this journey with pride in what we achieved, but also with the healthy dissatisfaction of those who always wanted more.”
Queiroz urged Ghana to push forward in the future, saying: “The future of the Black Stars will not be built only on the pitch.”
The former Real Madrid coach and Manchester United assistant coach added: “Reaching a higher level should never be the destination – it should be the beginning of even greater ambitions.
“Black Stars success must start off the field, by creating the best possible environment to prepare, protect and develop Ghana’s extraordinary football talent.”
Quieroz was only appointed in April when Otto Addo was dismissed.
In other parts of the World Cup-verse … chances, including a penalty, are being missed, and no goals have been scored. Tom Lutz is at the helm for Brazil v Norway.
England team latest
Jarell Quansah is expected to start for England at right-back after recovering from a twisted ankle. Djed Spence has a sore calf and is not ready to start, but should be in the squad. Reece James has missed the last two games with a hamstring issue.
Right-back is the big problem position for Thomas Tuchel although he has issues in other areas. Who to play on the wings? None of the wide players have convinced. This time it’s expected to be Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon who get the nod.
Stormy preamble
Evening/afternoon/morning all. This is it. The biggie for England (so far). And I must I’m afraid greet you with reports of thunderstorms in the Mexico City area. Our man on the spot, David Hytner, files this:
The first incredibly loud claps of thunder were heard here at the Azteca at 240pm local time – so a little over three hours before the scheduled kick-off time of 6pm. And it is now absolutely hosing it down with rain. This was very much forecast; hence, the farcical too and froing on Friday afternoon about bringing forward the kick-off by six hours, which ultimately proved impossible. Journalists and photographers have just been told to stay indoors at the stadium media centre. Maybe it is good that the storm has started slightly earlier than advertised giving it more time to clear before 6pm. Then again, I really do not know whether this is true!
