5 July 2026

As the dust settles on an unforgettable night of World Cup action, England and Mexico produced one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament, while Norway shocked Brazil in another late-night classic.

FULL-TIME: Mexico 2-3 England

At the iconic Estadio Azteca, co-hosts Mexico were narrowly defeated by 10-man England in a pulsating Round of 16 encounter. The Three Lions managed to hold on by the slimmest of margins after a rollercoaster contest that had everything—stunning goals, VAR drama, and a red card.

Early on, Declan Rice’s interception set up a swift counter-attack, with Harry Kane drawing defenders away to leave Jude Bellingham unmarked at the back post. Bellingham made no mistake to open the scoring for England. Barely 99 seconds later, the Real Madrid midfielder doubled his tally, weaving through the defence to slot home England’s second, sending English fans into raptures.

Mexico responded through Julian Quinones, who smashed in from close range after a set-piece to reduce the deficit and reignite hope for the hosts. The first half ended 2-1 in favour of England, with both sides displaying relentless energy and precision. Mexico’s 92% first-half passing accuracy marked their best in a World Cup match since 1966.

SECOND HALF UNDERWAY

The second period began with Mexico pushing hard for an equaliser. However, disaster struck for England when Jarell Quansah’s reckless studs-up challenge was initially missed by the referee but later reviewed by VAR and upgraded to a straight red card, reducing England to ten men. It was the fourth sending-off at the Azteca during this World Cup.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, England extended their lead. Anthony Gordon darted into the box and was brought down, leading to a penalty. Kane stepped up and calmly slotted in his sixth goal of the tournament, making it 3-1. But the drama was far from over.

Moments later, VAR intervened again—this time against Kane, who fouled Brian Gutierrez in the box. Raul Jimenez converted the resulting penalty to make it 3-2 and set up a tense finale. Mexico threw everything forward in the final minutes, peppering England’s box with crosses, but Jordan Pickford’s heroics and some desperate defending ensured Gareth Southgate’s side advanced to the quarterfinals.

England’s players celebrated with fans singing in unison as photographers captured the emotional scenes. For Mexico, it was heartbreak on home soil, with Jimenez’s efforts—three big chances and a goal—not enough to save them.

Two of the tournament co-hosts have now been eliminated in the Round of 16, and England’s resilience under pressure will be remembered as one of the standout performances of the competition so far.

FULL-TIME: Norway 2-1 Brazil

Over in New York New Jersey Stadium, another shock unfolded as Norway stunned five-time champions Brazil to book their place in the quarterfinals. After a goalless first half filled with missed chances and a saved penalty from Bruno Guimaraes, the second half delivered pure drama.

Erling Haaland, who had been kept quiet for much of the match, stepped up when it mattered most. With just ten minutes remaining, the Norwegian striker soared above the Brazilian defence to head home the opener. Moments later, he sealed the victory with a thunderous long-range strike into the bottom right corner, completing a sensational brace that sent the Norwegian supporters into delirium.

Brazil pulled one back late through Neymar’s penalty, but it proved too little, too late. The defeat marked another early exit for the South American giants, while Norway’s ‘Viking’ spirit carried them to a historic win—five victories from five matches in the tournament so far.

For Neymar, the loss could signal the end of his international journey, as emotional scenes followed Brazil’s elimination. Meanwhile, Haaland’s heroics will be remembered as one of the defining moments of this World Cup, propelling Norway into the last eight and keeping their dream alive.

Two unforgettable matches, two contrasting tales—England’s grit and Haaland’s brilliance have shaped another remarkable night in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.