Bellingham's double at Azteca fuels England's World Cup charge

At the iconic Estadio Azteca on Sunday evening, England surged past Mexico as Jude Bellingham netted a brace, becoming the first player to score twice at the venue in a World Cup since Diego Maradona in 1986. The English side, led by Harry Kane, dominated the first half, with Bellingham's goals arriving within a minute of each other. Bellingham's opening strike came as the Real Madrid midfielder linked up with Harry Kane on a swift counterattack. The Bayern Munich forward drew Mexico's defenders, leaving Bellingham unmarked for a header at the back post. Just 99 seconds later, Bellingham doubled England's lead by bundling the ball into the net from inside the penalty area. The quick succession underscored England's early dominance in the first half.

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His brace marked the first time a player has scored twice at the Azteca in a World Cup since Diego Maradona achieved the feat in 1986. It also registered as the third‑fastest double in tournament history, trailing only Kylian Mbappé's 2022 strike against Argentina and Toni Kroos's 2014 brace versus Brazil. Bellingham's tally now sits at four goals in this campaign, just one shy of Harry Kane's total. Overall, he has amassed five World Cup goals and two assists across ten matches.

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The performance demonstrates England's capacity to meet the challenge posed by co‑hosts Mexico on the tournament's grand stage. It reinforces their ambition to progress further as the World Cup advances.