American sports icons like Shannon Sharpe lost their minds on social media over England's gritty win against Mexico in the FIFA World Cup.
On paper, there should have been no contest. England has a star-studded team, and while Mexico were playing at the legendary Estadio Azteca in front of about 80,000 fans, the odds were stacked against them. But as it happens in soccer every so often, circumstances change after kickoff, and that’s exactly what happened in this thoroughly entertaining Round of 16 fixture.
Unsurprisingly, many in the sports world lauded the drama, action, and controversy in Mexico City, with fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
Sports World Reacts As England’s 10 Men Hang On to Slender Advantage in the World Cup
For Mexico, it was almost like a final, and the fans echoed the fixture’s importance by showing their full support. However, it was England that secured the advantage early on, with Jude Bellingham scoring a brace.
But just when it looked like another straightforward win for the Three Lions, Julián Quiñones scored before the interval. To make matters worse, center-back Jarell Quansah was sent off for an ugly challenge in the 54th minute, reducing Thomas Tuchel’s team to 10 men. However, the pendulum shifted in England’s favor soon after.
England’s talisman, Harry Kane, made it 3-1 from the penalty spot, scoring his sixth goal of the tournament. But the drama didn’t end there. Raúl Jiménez also scored from the spot for Mexico, reducing the deficit to just one.
What followed was Tuchel’s team defending for their lives as the minutes ticked on, eager to advance to the quarterfinals, where they would meet Norway.
A tie that had absolutely everything. A win that means absolutely everything. WE ARE WORLD CUP QUARTER-FINALISTS! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/mpBLI7m3XQ
— England (@England) July 6, 2026
Given the topsy-turvy nature of the match, the sports world took to social media to express their thoughts on the drama.
Jeff Borzello, ESPN’s college basketball reporter, wrote on X, “Game of the tournament. Unbelievable box defending by 10-man England in the final 25 minutes. Tuchel pulled all the right strings with his subs. Stones, Burn, and Spence all made integral cameos. Gordon the right call to start. Pickford tremendous. Bellingham a different level.”
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He wasn’t the only one. Former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe also echoed that sentiment, going on to say, “This England Mexico gm is cray cray. #WorldCup.” It’s not hard to see where the 3x Super Bowl champ is coming from, especially since this was England’s first visit to the Azteca since the drama involving Diego Maradona and the Hand of God in 1986.
Meanwhile, Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell went on to say, “This game is OD🤣,” while the drama right until the final whistle prompted former basketball player Tristan Thompson to write, “This is going down to the wire.”
The match was plagued by thunderstorms and pouring rain, forcing the kickoff back by one hour. Moreover, the high altitude forced Tuchel’s team to adapt to unfamiliar conditions, prompting Thon Maker to write, “That altitude definitely a huge advantage for Mexico! It’s No joke 😂”
Ultimately, it was arguably one of the best games of the tournament so far. And with the quarterfinals on the horizon, it’s well within the realm of possibility that the drama intensifies from this point on.
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Source: Pro Football Network
