By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
England on Sunday weathered the Mexican storm with 10 men to enter the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026, while five-time champions Brazil crashed out in a stunning upset against Norway on a dramatic day in the Round of 16.
Playing before a partisan crowd at the iconic Azteca Stadium, England held their nerve to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory over co-hosts Mexico despite being reduced to 10 players in the second half.
Jude Bellingham set the tone with a sensational burst, scoring twice in just 98 seconds to silence the home supporters and hand England an early cushion. Mexico responded through Julián Quiñones to cut the deficit.
The contest turned fiery after defender Jarell Quansah was sent off following a VAR review for a reckless challenge, sparking heated exchanges between players from both sides. But Captain Harry Kane calmly converted a penalty to restore England’s two-goal advantage.
Mexico sensed an opportunity and piled on relentless pressure, with Raúl Jiménez converting a late penalty to make it 3-2. However, England’s disciplined defence withstood wave after wave of Mexican attacks to book a place in the last eight.
England will now face Norway in the quarter-finals after the Scandinavian side produced one of the biggest shocks of the tournament by defeating Brazil 2-1 at MetLife Stadium.
Erling Haaland was the architect of Brazil’s downfall, scoring twice in the second half to send Norway into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history. Brazil had started brightly but squandered a golden chance when Bruno Guimarães missed an early penalty, brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland.
Haaland’s clinical finishing proved decisive as he struck with a powerful header before adding a superb long-range effort to stun the South American giants. Neymar pulled one back from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time, but it was too little, too late.
Brazil’s elimination marked their earliest World Cup exit since 1990, ending hopes of a sixth world title and leaving the tournament without one of its traditional heavyweights. After the match, Brazilian football icon Neymar brought the curtain down on his glittering international career in heartbreaking fashion announcing his retirement. The 34-year-old scored Brazil’s only goal before breaking down in tears following the final whistle.
The day’s dramatic results ensured that the quarter-final lineup continues to produce surprises, with England keeping alive European hopes while Norway celebrated one of the greatest victories in its football history.
Caption: Brazilian football icon Neymar brought the curtain down on his glittering international career in heartbreaking fashion announcing his retirement. The 34-year-old scored Brazil’s only goal before breaking down in tears following the final whistle