Mexico City still lingers in Thomas Tuchel’s mind more than two months after the 2026 World Cup final. England’s 3-2 last-16 victory over Mexico at Estadio Banorte was one of the tournament’s defining nights, and the England coach says supporters continue to raise it wherever he goes.
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Tuchel believes the match’s lasting value lies less in its tactical detail than in the collective memory it created. England progressed from a close contest against one of the competition’s three host nations, but it was the atmosphere around the game at the Santa Úrsula stadium that has stayed with him.
“Ninety-nine point nine per cent of fans do not ask about substitutions, adjustments or tactical points,” Tuchel said. “They talk about where they watched the Mexico game and about the energy. That is what a World Cup is for: bringing people together and giving them unforgettable experiences.
“It makes me proud and happy. Whether it is in a taxi, a café or a supermarket, you share those small moments and realise that it truly meant something.”
The occasion carried a personal weight for Tuchel as well. He revealed that he messaged a friend after the final whistle, wishing he had taken a piece of the famous stadium’s turf with him.
“I wrote to a friend afterwards and said I regretted not eating some grass, so that I could have part of that in my body forever,” he said. “That was how important the moment was, and how I felt.”
A World Cup night remembered beyond Mexico City
England prevailed by the narrowest margin despite finishing with 10 players, surviving a match that became one of the favourites of the entire World Cup. Only Argentina’s meeting with Cape Verde was rated more highly among the tournament’s standout fixtures.
Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane were among England’s scorers in the 3-2 success, while Raúl Jiménez and Julián Quiñones found the net for Mexico. The game stopped the host country and drew attention far beyond it, delivering a knockout tie whose drama has continued to define conversations about the expanded World Cup.
