Attitude over altitude

Before a ball had even been kicked, England were already fighting the narrative.

The altitude would beat them. The Azteca would overwhelm them. Mexico's World Cup record on home soil would prove too strong. A defence yet to concede would hold firm. Forty years of English ghosts would return.

Tap Here to Add The Daily Star As A Trusted Source

None of it happened.

When it was over, Thomas Tuchel distilled the victory into one word: mentality.

In a breathless 3-2 victory that sent the Three Lions into the World Cup quarter-finals, England showed tactical discipline, technical quality and extraordinary resilience. But above all, they showed attitude.

Reduced to ten men for more than 40 minutes in the thin air of Mexico City, they found a way to survive where so many expected them to fall.

"It felt in the buildup not like a round of 16, it feels almost like we have won a final," Tuchel said after the match.

"This last moment where the ref takes his whistle to his mouth and you know you overcame it... 40 to 50 minutes with 10 men in the altitude against the home country, against a strong, strong Mexican team. This was a heroic performance."

40 to 50 minutes with 10 men in the altitude against the home country, against a strong, strong Mexican team. This was a heroic performance.

Thomas Tuchel

For much of the first half, however, there was little indication they were battling the conditions. Jude Bellingham took command of the contest with a display of authority befitting one of the world's finest midfielders.

His two clinical finishes in the space of just 98 seconds stunned the hosts and silenced the Azteca, putting England in control. Julian Quinones pulled one back before the interval, however, before Jarell Quansah's red card nine minutes into the second half transformed the tie into a test of character.

Harry Kane's penalty restored the two-goal cushion, only for the captain to concede a penalty moments later, which Raúl Jiménez converted to ensure a tense finale. And from there, England's victory was built on resilience rather than flair.

Their resilience was reflected in every corner of the pitch.

John Stones, introduced to reinforce the defence, produced a remarkable last-gasp goal-line clearance that preserved the lead. Dan Burn, making his World Cup debut, slotted seamlessly into the back line and finished with six clearances despite playing only the closing stages, while Jordan Pickford commanded his penalty area with authority, claiming crosses and making crucial interventions as Mexico launched relentless attacks.

Even Bellingham, having lit up the match with two first-half goals, spent the closing minutes chasing loose balls, shielding possession in the corners and defending as though every tackle carried the weight of England's World Cup hopes.

For Tuchel, those final minutes captured everything he wanted this England team to be.

"I am just proud of the mentality and attitude," he said.

"Round of 32, round of 16 is the moment in the tournament when you find a way to win. We did it with pure mentality and heart. We overcame every obstacle that was thrown at us."

England overcame the altitude. They overcame forty years of history. They overcame a hostile Azteca, a sending-off and a Mexico side that had looked almost unbreakable throughout the tournament.

Forty years after Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' and ‘Goal of the Century’ left English football haunted at this very stadium, Tuchel's side created an altogether different Azteca memory.

It was not their prettiest performance, nor their most dominant. It was something far more valuable at a World Cup.

They say it is difficult to breathe at 7,350 feet. England climbed higher on the night. By the final whistle, they were on cloud nine, having left the football world breathless.