Mora, Jiménez and Quiñones: the most applauded against England

A heroic triumph in the Colossus of Santa Úrsula

England showed character and overcame all adversity to beat Mexico 3-2 at the Azteca Stadium, in a match corresponding to the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. Jude Bellingham, with a double, and Harry Kane, from a penalty, sealed British qualification.

The match was marked by height, a hostile crowd and an hour delay due to a thunderstorm. Despite playing with one man less for much of the second half, the English maintained their solidity and left behind the bad experience of the tie against Argentina in 1986.

Mexico crashed again in the round of the 16 best, a barrier that it has not been able to overcome since 1994. El Tri accumulates eliminations in that phase in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and now 2026, despite having reached the quarterfinals in its two previous World Cups at home.

What’s coming for England

The team led by Gareth Southgate – currently fourth in the FIFA ranking – will travel to Miami to face Norway in the quarterfinals next Saturday. English fans dream of repeating the glory of 1966, when they won the title at home.

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.