Belgium achieves biggest World Cup comeback so far

The confidence of the Basque

Twelve games without defeat, only two goals conceded and football on the rise. These are the arguments that sustain the enthusiasm of the Mexican National Team before facing England in the round of 16 of the World Cup.

“Believe” is the word that Javier Aguirre repeats before the duel at the Mexico City Stadium.

“If I didn’t believe we could beat England, I would even tell you, but I fervently believe in how the team works. We know it will be a very close match and the one who makes the fewest mistakes will be the one who will win.”

After beating Ecuador, Mexico broke a 40-year streak without winning a World Cup knockout phase match. Today the mood is different, but the pressure does not change for the national strategist.

“More work in quantity, yes, but pressure always exists, whether it’s a friendly in the United States or in Torreón. The National Team has pressure, and that helps you grow, be better.”

The coach has achieved an unprecedented group unity in this Cup. Neither in Korea-Japan 2002 nor in South Africa 2010, according to Aguirre, had this connection been felt.

“I would tell you that this analysis is yours. I say it without fear of being wrong, because the three times I tried to capture these concepts that I have today, I’m sure I didn’t achieve it, it wasn’t as noticeable or it didn’t have as much of an impact, but we always put together competitive teams.”

The round of 16 match is this day. Mexico trusts that its defensive solidity and the support of millions of fans will make the difference.

Atmosphere in the Mexico City Stadium

The field of the Mexico City Stadium will be the scene this Sunday of one of the most anticipated matches by the national fans: the clash between Mexico and England for the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

The team led by Javier Aguirre will seek to take a historic step towards the world title. To do this, it will have the support of thousands of followers in the stands and millions more from different parts of the country and abroad.

With the intention of creating an unbeatable atmosphere and dyeing the stands green, white and red, the organizers prepared a special surprise: the placement of Mexican flags in different sectors of the stadium to be used during the match.

The idea is for fans to show their support from the warm-up and accompany the team during the 90 minutes with a spectacular tricolor mosaic. In images spread on social networks, the staff of the building can be seen distributing the flags in the seats, ready to be waved when Mexico takes the field.

The match promises a historic night. The fans are already preparing to cheer on the Tricolor in search of advancing to the quarterfinals.

The feat of Isaac del Toro

Isaac del Toro wrote a golden page for Mexican cycling by winning the second stage of the Tour de France. It is the first stage victory for a Mexican since 1990, when Raúl Alcalá achieved it. The 168.5 kilometer route between Tarragona and Barcelona was in the hands of the young rider from UAE Team Emirates XRG.

“This means everything to me. I am privileged to be on this team that has trusted me from the first moment. This is the fruit of the work of the entire team. I can’t believe it. It’s crazy,” declared Del Toro after crossing the finish line.

A team play

The Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, four-time Tour champion, had the opportunity to attack in the final meters, but days before he had already anticipated his intention: “I want him to win it,” he said about his teammate. So he preferred to stay a few centimeters behind, leaving the way clear for “Torito.”

Before the finish line, Del Toro took Pogacar by the arm. They ended up together and embraced each other through tears. A 1-2 for the UAE Team Emirates XRG that remained as a historic postcard.

Current ranking

With this victory, Del Toro occupies fourth place overall, 16 seconds behind the leader, the Dane Jonas Vingegaard. Behind Vingegaard are Pogacar and the Belgian Remco Evenepoel. The competition will conclude on July 26 on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.

Del Toro’s achievement is not only personal, but a milestone for Mexican cycling, which celebrates a stage triumph after more than three decades. The sports community remains excited by the Mexican’s performance in one of the most demanding events in the world.