Tuchel's Fury as England Survives Azteca Chaos
Thomas Tuchel raged at the officials and saluted a “heroic” England after his 10 men survived a wild night at the Azteca to beat Mexico 3-2 and reach the World Cup quarter-finals.
Delayed by a thunderstorm, deafened by a feverish home crowd and drained by altitude, England still found a way. They finished clinging on, backs to the wall, in a stadium that has swallowed up so many visiting sides. This time, it spat England out as survivors.
Tuchel fury as England endure Azteca chaos
The chaos began long before kick-off. Thunderstorms rolled over Mexico City, pushing the start back by an hour and cranking up the tension. When the teams finally emerged, the Azteca roared, the Mexican anthem shook the concrete, and Tuchel’s players had to shout to hear each other.
He did not mind the noise. He did mind the refereeing.
“It’s just not good enough,” Tuchel told BBC Sport. “Referees are just not good enough. Fourth officials are just not good enough.
“It’s the bottom line. Is this a clear and obvious mistake for the [Mexico] penalty? For sure not, but VAR gets involved.
“They overturn a situation where he doesn’t even give a foul. Not good enough.”
Australian referee Alireza Faghani sat at the centre of Tuchel’s anger. In the space of 15 second-half minutes he showed a straight red card to Jarell Quansah, awarded England a penalty, then gave Mexico one of their own after a VAR review on Harry Kane.
The decisions lit the fuse on a match that had already started at breakneck speed.
Bellingham and Kane seize control
For half an hour, England looked like they might silence the Azteca altogether.
On 36 minutes, Declan Rice burst through midfield on the counter, fed Bukayo Saka on the right, and the winger’s cross picked out Jude Bellingham. The midfielder met it with a firm header, guiding the ball into the corner to stun the home crowd.
Barely had the replays finished when England struck again. Just 98 seconds after the opener, they scored straight from the restart. Kane dropped off, took control, and squared for Bellingham, who forced the ball over the line from close range. Two goals, one man, and England suddenly had a cushion.
Mexico needed something before half-time and found it. A soft free-kick on the edge of the box gave them a lifeline and, on 43 minutes, Julian Quinones thumped in the rebound from the second phase to haul his side back into the game.
The Azteca woke up. Jordan Pickford had to soar high to his right in stoppage time to tip over a Raul Jimenez header, preserving England’s 2-1 lead at the break.
Red card, penalties and a wild second half
England emerged from the dressing room as if determined to kill the contest. Anthony Gordon, excellent all night, drove at Mexico and Adam O’Reilly rattled the right-hand post with a fierce strike from distance on 50 minutes.
Then the match turned.
On 55 minutes, Quansah, playing at right-back, flew into a reckless sliding challenge. Faghani initially showed yellow, then upgraded it to a straight red after a VAR check. Down to 10 men, in thin air, under siege. England now had to suffer.
They responded with a punch of their own. Gordon was brought down by the goalkeeper in the box, and this time VAR stayed out of it. Kane buried the penalty on the hour to restore a two-goal lead and briefly quieten the stadium.
The calm did not last.
Nine minutes later, VAR dragged Faghani back to the monitor. Kane, defending his own area, had caught Brian Gutierrez with a kick. The referee had not even given a foul on the pitch, but after review he pointed to the spot. Jimenez stepped up and beat Pickford, setting up a frantic final 20 minutes at 3-2.
Tuchel seethed on the touchline. His players dug in.
He shifted to a back five on 74 minutes, sending on Dan Burn and Djed Spence to reinforce a defence that suddenly had to withstand everything Mexico could throw at it.
Heroic resistance in suffocating stoppage time
The final act felt endless. Eleven minutes of added time went up, the Azteca bayed, and England’s penalty area filled with green shirts.
Pickford came for crosses and punched. Burn won headers on his World Cup debut. John Stones almost undid it all when he sliced the ball inches past his own post in the 100th minute, a collective English heart-stopper.
Tuchel felt even stoppage time conspired against his team.
“Even in the end it was 11 minutes and he [the referee] gives another two corners to make it 12 minutes. Everything went against us,” he said.
England refused to buckle. When the final whistle finally shrilled, players dropped to the turf, drained. Tuchel, normally all angles and agitation, allowed himself a moment to drink it in.
“This doesn’t feel like a round-of-16 match, it feels like a final!” he said. “The moment where the referee puts the whistle to his mouth, with 10 men, altitude against a home country... this is a moment of joy and a heroic performance and result.”
An iconic night, a painful injury
Tuchel insisted he did not find the atmosphere hostile, only overwhelming.
“I didn’t find it hostile, more cheering and emotional,” he said. “The national anthem was unbelievable.
“We were aware of that but we refused to give in. This team did it on pure will. No words.
“They did it in an iconic match, in an iconic stadium.
“We overcame so much adversity today. Full credit. I’m very proud. A crazy match in a crazy atmosphere, and we were up against all odds.”
The only sour note came in the celebrations. Jordan Henderson, trying to join in with the jubilant England fans, tumbled over the advertising boards and injured his wrist. He needed oxygen and was carried off the pitch.
The FA later confirmed Henderson would not travel back to Kansas City with the squad and would instead remain in Mexico City with a member of England’s medical staff.
“Not good. Jordan fell over and injured his wrist. It looks really bad,” Tuchel said. “It’s a very special night. Mixed feelings because I’m exhausted and emotional, and sad because Jordan injured his wrist and is in hospital.
“It doesn’t fit the evening that Jordan is not with us.”
Mentality monsters march on
Strip away the noise, the controversy, the stoppage time. What remains is a team that simply refuses to lose.
Level with Croatia earlier in the tournament, behind to DR Congo, now down to 10 men at the Azteca – every time England have stared at trouble, they have stared back. Tuchel has built a side that thrives on the edge.
“When the going gets tough, they never give up, they never lose belief,” he said. This England has guts.
When they needed to suffer, Burn stepped in for his first minutes at a major tournament and looked like he had been there for years. When crosses rained in, Pickford came through bodies to punch them clear. When they needed quality, Bellingham and Kane delivered again. Gordon chose the perfect night to produce his best England performance.
Tuchel still sees flaws. He has spoken of a “disconnect” in their displays, a sense that the performance level has more to give. That may worry future opponents more than it comforts them.
Because this is starting to look like the most dangerous kind of World Cup contender: one that does not always control games, does not always convince, but simply will not go away.
Next up is Norway on Saturday, with Erling Haaland fresh from scoring twice to knock Brazil out. Another giant, another storm to walk into.
After surviving the Azteca with 10 men, who will truly fancy taking this England team on now?
