Mexico had not conceded a single goal at this World Cup before Sunday night. Then Jude Bellingham showed up.
England walked into the Azteca Stadium knowing they’d face not just a quality opponent but a hostile crowd and the weight of 40 years of history. The co-hosts had been flawless defensively through their first two matches. That wall lasted all of 45 minutes against Bellingham.
How It All Went Down
The first one came off a counterattack. Harry Kane picked up the ball, drew three defenders toward him like he’d ordered them there, and slipped a pass to the back post. Bellingham, completely unmarked, headed it home. Easy enough on paper. But the moment itself flipped the game.
Then things got ridiculous.
Ninety-nine seconds after the opening goal, Bellingham picked up a loose ball inside the box and bundled it in. Two goals in less than two minutes. The Azteca went quiet. That almost never happens there.
A Stat That Puts You on Notice
That brace means Bellingham is the first player to score twice at this stadium in a World Cup match since Diego Maradona in 1986. It’s also the third-fastest double in World Cup history. Only Kylian Mbappe against Argentina in the 2022 final and Toni Kroos against Brazil in the 2014 semifinal did it quicker.
Bellingham now has four goals in this tournament alone, one behind Kane for the England lead. His overall World Cup tally sits at five goals and two assists across 10 appearances. He’s 23 years old.
England held on through a furious second-half push from Mexico — the co-hosts had been unbeaten and unscored upon coming in — but Bellingham’s two strikes were enough to secure a statement win on the road. The kind of win that makes people rethink what this England team can actually do.
Nobody had scored against Mexico at this World Cup until Bellingham arrived. He fixed that in a hurry.
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