England defeats Mexico at the Azteca and advances to the quarterfinals

Ovation of 80 thousand at the Colossus of Santa Úrsula

Gilberto Mora, Raúl Jiménez and Julián Quiñones were the footballers most acclaimed by the tricolor fans at the Mexico City Stadium. The three received a loud ovation when the local sound announced the starting eleven for the match against England, corresponding to the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup in North America.

The audience, close to 80 thousand people, filled the venue and echoed with each name. All of Javier Aguirre’s players were applauded: Raúl Rangel, Jorge Sánchez, César Montes, Johan Vásquez, Jesús Gallardo, Erik Lira, Luis Romo and Roberto Alvarado. But midfielder Mora, forward Jiménez and winger Quiñones generated the most deafening screams.

His performance throughout the tournament has been decisive. In the four previous games, these three players have earned the recognition of the fans. The connection with the public was immediate since his nicknames were mentioned: “Morita”, the “Wolf of Tepeji” and the “Pantera”.

On the contrary, when it was the turn of the English players, the boos were overwhelming. All members of the Rosa Team, including technical director Thomas Tuchel, were whistled by those in attendance.

The support that was felt before the initial whistle

The Mexican fans made themselves felt strongly even before the ball rolled. The atmosphere at the Coloso de Santa Úrsula was intense, with clear support for the local team and obvious pressure towards the rival. This factor can influence the development of the match, although the result will depend on the performance on the field.

The end of an era in Canarinha

Neymar confirmed on Sunday that he will not wear the Brazil shirt again. The decision came after the 2-1 defeat against Norway in the round of 16 of the World Cup.

“I tried. It started here at MetLife Stadium, and it ended here. Now it’s over.”

The 34-year-old forward played his first game for Brazil on August 10, 2010, precisely in that same setting, in a friendly against the United States. Against Norway, he came off the bench and scored from a penalty in the final minutes.

His participation in the tournament was limited by a persistent right calf injury. He only appeared in two of Brazil’s five games, including 15 minutes against Scotland in the group stage.

Considered the best Brazilian player for more than a decade, the star had seen his impact diminish in recent years due to physical problems.

With his departure, Brazil enters a period of transition. A new generation must assume leadership. Defender Marquinhos asked for patience:

“May people be patient with the new generation and support them from the beginning.”

The national team now faces the challenge of rebuilding itself without its top figure.

FIFA lifted striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension after the White House contacted the organization’s president, Gianni Infantino, to ask for a review of the red card he received in the round of 16.

The controversial incident

Balogun, the United States’ leading scorer with three goals in the tournament, was sent off Wednesday for stepping on the ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic during a 2-0 victory. The automatic one-match suspension ruled him out of the quarterfinal match against Belgium, scheduled for Monday.

FIFA announced on Sunday that the sanction was suspended for a one-year trial period. If Balogun commits another similar violation within that period, the suspension will take effect.

Conflicting reactions

President Donald Trump celebrated the measure on social media: “Thank you to FIFA for doing the right thing and reversing a great injustice!”

In contrast, the Royal Belgian Football Federation expressed its “astonishment” and coach Rudi García ironically: “I didn’t know that in the FIFA offices July 5 was April 1 in Europe.” García added that his federation defends “the integrity and ethics of football” and that it is investigating all legal options.

The American team learned the news during the bus ride to training, when posts began circulating on social media. Christian Pulisic gave his opinion on the foul: “It was unintentional. There were much worse ones in this tournament.”

Background

FIFA had already applied similar suspensions in the past. In November, he postponed two games of a three-match suspension against Cristiano Ronaldo. It also benefited Nicolás Otamendi and Moisés Caicedo in April. An emblematic case was that of Garrincha in 1962, who after being expelled in the semifinals was able to play in the final due to political pressure.

Balogun, 25 years old and Monaco striker, has 12 goals in 30 international matches. He was born in Brooklyn and represents the United States after having played in the youth ranks of England. His presence will be key as the host seeks to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.