Wayne Rooney said England's 2-3 win over Mexico was one of their greatest results, and the performance gave him plenty to back it up. England reached the World Cup quarter-finals after a night built on Jude Bellingham's brace, Harry Kane's penalty and Jordan Pickford's saves. Declan Rice was part of the control in the middle, even after the game turned chaotic.

Rooney and Shearer on England's control

Rooney's verdict was straightforward. He said: "That was one of England's greatest results and performances. The attitude, the grit, the desire – they had it all." He also picked out the key names, saying the big players stood up and that Rice was excellent, while Bellingham and Kane really turned up.

Alan Shearer was just as effusive. He called it "an incredible performance from start to finish" and praised the way England managed the game in difficult circumstances, including the spell after the red card and penalty. He also said Pickford was brilliant late on, which matched the numbers on the night.

Bellingham, Kane and Pickford carried the weight

Bellingham scored twice before half-time, in the 36th and 38th minutes, and finished with a 9.2 rating. Kane added a 60th-minute penalty and ended on 7.3, with one goal and one assist. Pickford made three saves and finished on 7.2.

Those numbers tell the story of why England got through Mexico. Jarell Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute for a serious foul after VAR review, and Raúl Jiménez made it tense again with a 69th-minute penalty after England had briefly restored a two-goal cushion. Even then, England held on.

Rice's workload also stood out. He played 100 minutes, made 30 passes and was booked once, which fits the praise Rooney gave him. Shearer has been more sceptical about Rice in other comments, saying he looked tired and should be back in the middle rather than at right back, but on this night England needed him to keep things steady.

The result sends England into the quarter-finals, and the real argument now is less about the scoreline than the balance of the team. Bellingham and Kane gave them the goals, Pickford kept them in it and Rice helped them absorb the pressure in a game that could easily have slipped away.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →