FIFA World Cup
Bellingham bursting with pride after England win
Jude Bellingham described England's 2026 FIFA World Cup victory over Mexico as the highlight of his international career, having followed in the footsteps of Diego Maradona with a memorable brace at Estadio Azteca.… Show More
Jude Bellingham described England's 2026 FIFA World Cup victory over Mexico as the highlight of his international career, having followed in the footsteps of Diego Maradona with a memorable brace at Estadio Azteca.
Bellingham scored twice in the space of 98 first-half seconds as England emerged the 3-2 victor amid a raucous atmosphere in Mexico City, despite playing 48 minutes – including stoppage-time – with 10 men after Jarrell Quansah's red card.
That made Bellingham the first player to score twice in a FIFA World Cup game at the iconic venue since 1986, when Maradona did so for Argentina in a 2-0 semi-final win over Belgium.
One round earlier, at the same stadium, Maradona had also netted twice against England, with the "hand of God" and the "goal of the century" representing arguably the most famous brace in FIFA World Cup history.
When Bellingham was asked how it felt to replicate Maradona's achievements, he said: "He's far greater than me. But it's nice company to be in.
"Obviously for me, growing up as an England supporter, it was always seeing us play in these games – in tough atmospheres against tough opposition – and we'd crumble.
"To be part of a team that's stood tall against all the adversity and come out on top, I'm so proud.
"Growing up as an England fan, you always wished the teams had a bit more bite and a bit more personality, and we've shown that. For the lads that are new, who haven't played in these games before, it's the perfect message to them – that they can handle it."
Prior to the game, England boss Thomas Tuchel suggested his side was owed "karma" from Maradona's infamous opening goal in 1986, which was scored with his hand.
But Bellingham feels that wrong will not be righted unless England go on to lift the trophy, saying: "We're still a few games away from that. I think karma comes when ... well, they [Argentina] won it in '86.
"Karma's not fulfilled yet, but we'll see what we can do. I'm so proud of this squad, it was more than me, more than Harry [Kane], more than the manager, it was a performance from all the squad."
Bellingham put in a phenomenal shift, having the most touches (55) of any player for the Three Lions while winning 10 of his 16 duels and both attempting (eight) and completing (four) the most dribbles of anyone on the pitch.
Asked where the victory ranked among his England achievements, the UEFA Euro 2024 finalist said: "It's right up there. In my England career, it's probably the pick of the bunch.
"The atmosphere, the conditions, the performance of the team, the camaraderie... I can't credit anyone enough for what they've done tonight. I couldn't be prouder and I'm so glad we've given our country another night to celebrate."
Anthony Gordon was the only player to contest more duels than Bellingham (21), while he also matched his team-mate for successful duels (10) and won the penalty from which Kane scored what proved to be the winner.
The winger used his own post-match interview to lavish praise upon Bellingham, saying: "He's a global superstar for a reason.
"He's 23 years of age, and what he's achieved so far is just incredible. More importantly, he's a one-of-a-kind human being.
"He's so humble, he never talks about himself. He puts the lads first and makes people feel special. He's just an incredible human being."
