Jude Bellingham Emulates Maradona to Fire England into World Cup Quarter-Finals

by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath

image Jude Bellingham Emulates Maradona to Fire England into World Cup Quarter-Finals
England became the fourth team to book their spot in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup by beating Mexico 3-2 in a thrilling contest at Estadio Azteca in the early hours of this morning. The Three Lions were forced to play over half an hour with 10 men, but got the job done thanks to goals from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.
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10-Man England Survive Azteca Chaos to Reach Last Eight 

England confirmed our 2026 World Cup predictions by booking their place in the quarter-finals after an absolute classic at Estadio Azteca this morning. The Three Lions held on to a breathless 3-2 victory against tournament co-hosts Mexico in front of 90,000 passionate local fans. 

The match was a complete rollercoaster of emotions for the visiting supporters, as England looked fully in control after an impressive first half, but the entire game turned on its head in the 54th minute when Jarell Quansah was shown a straight red card. 

Quansah’s dismissal forced Thomas Tuchel’s side to play nearly the entire second half - including an agonising 11 minutes of stoppage time - with 10 men on the pitch. However, faced with the much-discussed altitude and a relentless Mexican attack, England showed incredible heart to protect their narrow lead. 

The historic win did more than just keep England’s World Cup dreams alive; it shattered Mexico’s incredible 10-game unbeaten run at the Azteca!

The Three Lions are now undefeated in their last seven matches in all competitions (W6 D1) and will turn their focus to the quarter-finals, where they will face Erling Haaland’s Norway at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on July 11 at 22:00 BST. 

Jude Bellingham Silences Azteca With 98-Second Masterclass

Before the second-half red card drama, Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham etched his name in the World Cup history books by striking twice in the space of just 98 seconds to give his side a solid lead in what was a cagey opening half hour.

Bellingham is now the first player to score a brace in a World Cup knockout match at the iconic Azteca since the legendary Diego Maradona in 1986!

Bellingham’s opener was a masterclass in movement from midfield, as he latched onto a cross from Bukayo Saka and fired a low first-time shot into the bottom corner. Straight from the ensuing kickoff, he then made a lung-busting run from deep and glided past two challengers before chipping the onrushing Raul Rangel. 

Despite going down to 10 men early in the second half, Harry Kane extended the Three Lions’ lead to 3-1 on the stroke of the hour mark from the penalty spot. The England skipper now has six goals in five games and sits second in the Golden Boot race behind joint-leaders Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.