Donald Trump jumped on Truth Social late Sunday night to heap praise on England captain Harry Kane after the Three Lions punched their ticket to the World Cup quarterfinals with a chaotic 3-2 win over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca.
“Harry Kane of England is a GREAT player!!!” the former president posted, keeping it short and all-caps enthusiastic.
It was that kind of night. Kane buried a penalty early, then gave one away that Raul Jimenez converted. England played most of the second half down to 10 men after defender Jarell Quansah got sent off for a high tackle following a VAR review. And somehow, against a Mexico team that treats the Azteca like a fortress at 7,000 feet elevation, Thomas Tuchel’s side dug in and held on for the win.
Kane scored twice in the round of 16 win over Democratic Republic of Congo. Now with six goals in the tournament, he’s one behind Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race.
The Royal treatment and a prime minister who stayed up late
Prince William was among the first to congratulate the team. He posted on social media: “Well done England! Bring on the quarter final!”
Outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called it “one of the greatest England matches I’ve ever seen.” London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the city roared so loud you could hear it in the dark.
The game kicked off an hour late after thunderstorms rolled through Mexico City, delaying things until 2 a.m. UK time. The government extended pub hours to 5 a.m., and fans packed bars across the country. When the final whistle blew after 11 minutes of added time, beers went flying.
Quansah’s red card, penalties, and a wild second half
Once the lightning passed, the game didn’t slow down. Quansah’s red card came after a VAR review that left England fans holding their breath. Both sides got penalties. Mexico threw everything at England in the final minutes. But the Three Lions held on.
Kane looked emotional after the match. He struggled to get words out during his postgame interview. It was that kind of pressure. That kind of stage.
England will face Norway in the quarterfinals. And if this game was any indication, Tuchel’s squad isn’t going to make it easy on themselves.
MPs were up late too. Walthamstow Labour MP Stella Creasy joked on X: “I have no idea how I do the school run this morning after a red card and a penalty… Like having had ten espressos and a red bull chaser…” Reform MP Robert Jenrick called the team “heroes, each and every one of them.”
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