Ten-man England survived a chaotic Azteca atmosphere to secure a gritty 3-2 victory.
Declan Rice called England’s World Cup victory over Mexico the best result he has experienced in an England shirt, after Thomas Tuchel’s side came through a dramatic night at the Estadio Azteca.
England edged past Mexico 3-2 to book their place in the quarter-finals. Jude Bellingham struck twice, Harry Kane converted a crucial penalty, and the Three Lions were forced to dig in with ten men after Jarell Quansah’s red card. Next up is Norway in Miami, with a semi-final spot on the line.
The Arsenal midfielder pointed out that the team had to reveal a different side of themselves, especially as Mexico piled on the pressure after the break.
“You’ve got to stay so mentally strong and switched on because they bring on three strikers,” Rice said, speaking after the match.
“I think Dan Burn was just sensational, John Stones, sensational, Djed Spence sensational. Them three come on in that moment and defend how they did with Marc [Guehi] and Ezri [Konsa] the whole game.
“It was just a real team effort tonight. It was just incredible and, yeah, to get through that from the 55th minute onwards, this is the World Cup. There’s going to be rollercoasters and tonight was one of them, so onto the next.”
Bellingham’s goals and Kane’s penalty provided the attacking highlights, but the closing stages were all about focus, defensive grit, and managing the pressure inside one of football’s most intense arenas.
In the build-up, much was made of the altitude in Mexico City and the impact it would have on England, but Rice said it did not prove as tough during the match as he had anticipated.
“No, I was surprised,” Rice said. “The altitude, there’s been so much talk about that and to be fair yesterday training was a little bit but today I didn’t really feel as much.
“But we knew they was a good team, I don’t think they’ve lost in 80 games or something so we knew it was going to be tough. But we believed what we had in the room, all 26 players was enough to beat them.
“In the end we showed a different side to us that many people probably think that we didn’t have and, yeah, it was a beautiful night.”
England are often judged on how well they control matches, but knockout football can change in an instant, especially after a red card. Against Mexico, they had to protect their lead, soak up pressure, and find a way through a tense final stretch.
Rice’s underlined just how much the result meant.
“I think it was probably the best England result I’ve experienced,” he said. “Probably the best away day I’ve had in an England shirt. Everything I expected and it was just an incredible night.”
Rice has played in major England games before, including tournament knockout ties and European Championship finals, but his post-match reaction made clear where the Mexico win sits for him personally.
Norway are next, with Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard standing between England and a place in the last four. Rice will be central again if England are to progress, but Mexico gave him a night he clearly felt ranked among the biggest of his career.
