‘Felt Like Winning a World Cup Final’: Tuchel Hails Heroic Win Over Mexico at Azteca

England manager Thomas Tuchel described his side’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca as feeling ‘like winning a World Cup final,’ after the Three Lions overcame altitude, a hostile crowd, and a red card to reach the quarterfinals.

Led by Jude Bellingham’s quickfire double and Harry Kane’s penalty, England battled through adversity, playing more than 45 minutes with ten men.

‘I felt in the build-up it never felt like a round of 16 match,’ Tuchel said. ‘It feels almost like we won a final this last moment the referee takes the whistle to his mouth. Forty or 50 minutes in altitude against a home country, this is a moment of joy. A heroic performance and a heroic result in the end.’

Tuchel admitted he was ‘exhausted and emotional’ after the match, but celebrations were marred by an injury to Jordan Henderson, who fell over an advertising board and was taken to hospital with a wrist injury.

‘It just doesn’t fit to the evening that Jordan is not with us,’ Tuchel said. ‘The doctor told me he is in the hospital.’

The victory also carried historic weight, coming 40 years after England’s infamous quarter-final defeat to Argentina at the same stadium, a match remembered for Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ and solo goal.

‘We had a very sad story with this stadium, we make peace with it today,’ Tuchel reflected.

Despite speculation about a potential semi-final clash with defending champions Argentina, Tuchel insisted his focus remains on Norway, who stunned Brazil earlier in the day thanks to Erling Haaland’s brace.

‘I will not talk about the semi-final when I am just into the quarter-final,’ he said. ‘Now we have the chance for some days off. I will go one full day without football and then we will look at Norway.’

Tuchel also voiced frustration with officiating, criticizing VAR’s role in awarding Mexico a penalty.

‘Referees are just not good enough. The fourth officials are just not good enough. That’s the bottom line,’ he said. ‘VAR overturns a clear and obvious error for the penalty. Was it a clear and obvious error? I think not.’