England survived an almighty scare to book their place in the last 16, with captain Harry Kane coming to the rescue by scoring twice in the final 15 minutes to secure a 2-1 win after Thomas Tuchel’s side had fallen behind. The victory moves England one step closer to reaching their third major tournament final of the decade.
Standing between them and the quarter-finals is a Mexico side that have been in formidable shape throughout the tournament. The co-hosts have won all four of their games, scoring eight goals without conceding once, and they demolished Ecuador in the last 32 — establishing a two-goal lead inside 30 minutes against a side that had not conceded more than one goal in any match for more than two years.
Mexico are ranked ninth in the world and have not lost a competitive fixture since a 2-0 defeat by Honduras in the first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarter-final in November 2024, a run stretching to 13 unbeaten matches. While they may not boast too many standout individuals, their resolute work ethic and strong self-belief have been evident throughout the group stage.
The setting adds another layer of difficulty for England. The Azteca Stadium sits more than 7,000 feet above sea level, with that altitude capable of causing shortness of breath, increased heart rate and fatigue for unaccustomed players. Mexico’s record at the iconic venue makes for sobering reading too — 70 wins from 89 competitive games, with 17 draws and only two defeats, including an unbeaten run of 10 World Cup matches there.
England face Mexico at 01:00 BST on Monday, 6 July, with the game live on BBC TV, radio and online.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
