England manager Thomas Tuchel praised his players resilience and character after they secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca to reach the FIFA World Cup quarter finals.
The Three Lions played with 10 men for more than 30 minutes after Jarell Quansah’s second half dismissal, yet they held off relentless Mexican pressure to book a quarter final showdown against Norway.
Speaking after the final whistle, Tuchel admitted it was one of the toughest tests his side had faced during the tournament.
“Very proud. We needed everything. It was super difficult. In the moments we thought we catch the momentum, we had setbacks. That is proper mentality.”
The England boss also praised the determination his players showed whenever they faced adversity throughout the contest.
“This team really mean it. When the going gets tough, they never give up, they never lose belief. It was one step more.
“We need to take this in. This is Azteca, it’s Mexico, a crazy game. We left everything out there, every single one of us. We need to take this in, now it’s full steam ahead.”
England’s victory also ended one of international football’s longest standing home records. Mexico had not lost a competitive match at the Estadio Azteca since a 2-1 defeat to Honduras in a CONCACAF World Cup qualifier in September 2013. El Tri had also never suffered defeat in a World Cup match at the famous stadium, recording eight wins and two draws before England finally ended that remarkable run.
The celebrations after the final whistle reflected the significance of the result. England’s players climbed over the barriers to celebrate with their travelling supporters before joining them in singing Oasis classic “Wonderwall”, which has become the team’s anthem throughout the tournament.
The emotional scenes underlined the magnitude of the achievement. Forty years after one of football’s most famous World Cup moments at the Azteca, England returned to one of the sport’s most iconic venues and emerged victorious in another unforgettable contest.
England will now face Norway in the FIFA World Cup quarter finals in Miami on Saturday at 22:00 GMT, with a place in the semi finals up for grabs.
