MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico With a huge home field advantage, they had a chance to be in the best position of the World Cup, but El Tri let it slip away against England on Sunday night.
Mexico, playing at high altitude with the enthusiastic support of 80,824 fans at the Estadio Azteca and holding the man advantage for most of the second half, scored twice but could not equalize. and lost 3-2.
Mexico had not conceded a goal in the first four games of the World Cup, but there was no answer for Jude Bellingham, who scored twice in 98 seconds of the first half.
Coach Javier Aguirre said, “It hurts so much to fall like this after dreaming, but the players should leave with their hearts held high.” “They gave their best on the pitch, but it wasn’t what it should have been today. The fans had high expectations, but we couldn’t get the job done and give them more joy.”
El Tri took a step forward from being eliminated in the group stage against Qatar in 2022, but the loss was a bittersweet memory for Mexican fans who had hoped for Mexico to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since the last World Cup in 1986. Since then, Mexico has been eliminated in the round of 16 eight times.
England manager Thomas Tuchel said, “We played in a great stadium, against a strong team from a great country. Seeing all the emotions of the people on the streets, I almost say it’s a shame that you (Mexicans) have to leave. You should be proud of your team.”
Aguirre will retire after completing his third term as Mexico national team coach. His successor will be former Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez, who served as Aguirre’s assistant during this World Cup.
“These five games are unforgettable. I say goodbye to the Estadio Azteca and leave after many years with great pride,” said Aguirre. “Rafa is a great kid and a valuable coach and he will show that. Hopefully he will do better than I did.”
It was Mexico’s third loss in the tournament, which began in 1966 at the Aztecs, following losses to Costa Rica in 2001 and Honduras in 2013, following a 2-1 loss in World Cup qualifying.
Mexican fan Ramiro Caballero, 44, said: “It’s disappointing. They had everything to win the game. (England) didn’t play well. They had five shots on target and scored three points.” “It was a perfect scenario to take the next step, so now we have to wait for the win.”
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Mexico correspondent Fabiola Sánchez contributed to this report
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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
