Jude Bellingham scored twice as England beat Mexico 3-2 in a chaotic World Cup knockout tie at the Azteca. Harry Kane added a penalty, Jarell Quansah was sent off after a VAR review, and England still had enough to stay in control after a late Mexico push.

Bellingham's decisive spell

Bellingham’s quickfire double arrived in the 38th minute and put England 2-0 up. A Daily Star report described the second goal as part of a double in as many minutes, and the point was obvious enough from the match state: England suddenly had a cushion in a game that had already felt tense.

The first sign of his authority came earlier through Jordan Pickford, whose early save was described as akin to Gordon Banks’ iconic World Cup stop. Bellingham then scored twice and later made a last-minute clearance from a corner to stop Cesar Montes from scoring at close range.

His tournament numbers back up the influence. Bellingham now has 2 goals in 4 World Cup appearances, a 7.65 tournament rating across those games, and 317 minutes on the pitch. For England, that is the kind of return that turns a midfielder into the centre of the match.

Harry Kane also did his part from the spot. He now has 5 goals in 4 World Cup appearances, which leaves England with a second reliable finisher alongside Bellingham’s late runs and finishing from midfield.

England held on after the red card

The pressure changed again when Jarell Quansah was shown a straight red card after a VAR review for a high challenge on Jesús Gallardo in the opening minutes of the second half. That gave Mexico a route back, and Julián Quiñones pulled a goal back after England’s quickfire double.

Mexico’s response is the one part that remains slightly messy across the reports, but the common thread is clear enough: once Quansah went off, England spent a long spell defending a lead that was no longer comfortable.

They still had enough to finish the job. England came into the tie unbeaten in their last 4 World Cup matches, and that run held up under a much noisier test than most of them. The performance was not clean, but Bellingham’s intervention was the difference between a dangerous knockout tie and one England controlled for most of the second half.

The final scoreline stood at Mexico 2-3 England, with the next step depending on how England recover from a night that mixed a fast start, a red card and a late scramble at the Azteca.

FAQ

Why did Jude Bellingham stand out in England's Mexico knockout win?

Bellingham scored twice, and his quickfire double arrived in the 38th minute to put England 2-0 up. He also made a last-minute clearance from a corner to stop Cesar Montes from scoring at close range. Across the tournament, he has 2 goals in 4 World Cup appearances.

How did England stay in control after Jarell Quansah was sent off?

Jordan Pickford made an early save described as akin to Gordon Banks’ iconic World Cup stop, and England still led 2-0 before Jarell Quansah was sent off after a VAR review for a high challenge on Jesús Gallardo. Mexico pulled a goal back through Julián Quiñones, but England held on to win 3-2.

How has Harry Kane helped England alongside Jude Bellingham in this World Cup run?

Harry Kane scored from the spot in the match and has 5 goals in 4 World Cup appearances. That gives England another reliable scorer alongside Bellingham, who has now scored 2 goals in 4 appearances and delivered the decisive brace against Mexico.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 8 outlets. How we work →