Ezri Konsa says Three Lions ‘brotherhood’ fuelled famous England World Cup win against Mexico | OneFootball

England defender Ezri Konsa has credited a powerful sense of "brotherhood" within the squad for their memorable World Cup victory over Mexico.

Thomas Tuchel’s side delivered one of English football’s defining performances, defying the odds to secure a dramatic 3-2 win in their last-16 tie at the Estadio Azteca.

The team faced immense challenges, battling high altitude, a fervent home crowd, and an hour-long delay to kick-off. Their resolve was further tested when Jarell Quansah received a red card in the second half. Konsa was central to England’s defensive resilience, adapting from a central role to right-back after Quansah’s dismissal.

"Brotherhood" has been a recurring theme for Tuchel before and during the tournament, and Konsa affirmed its crucial role.

Tuchel has repeatedly stressed the importance of creating a ‘brotherhood’ (Nick Potts/PA) (PA Wire)

"One hundred per cent, it was a brotherhood, you saw that today, the effort we had to put in," he stated. "Certain players were changing positions, like myself, and putting in a shift. If you want to go far in the tournament, it’s what you have to do."

He praised the impact of substitutes, adding: "The boss had to make some changes, I thought Dan Burn and John Stones were excellent when they came on. Having those kinds of players to come on and help us was a great feeling.

“The only thing we were thinking was to show our togetherness, to show how good we can be together defensively. I am sure at home it was an amazing game to watch but on the pitch it was a long one, especially when there are 11 minutes added on, but we had to show our strength, show our grit. Really proud of the boys and on to the next one."

Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford delivered one of his career’s standout performances, equalling Peter Shilton’s record of 17 World Cup appearances. The Everton stopper marked the occasion with a series of vital saves and an impressive command of his area.

Konsa lauded his teammate: "Definitely, as a defender having a world-class keeper behind you is always a good thing, we know how good he is. The amount of appearances he has made for England is for a reason, so happy with his performance and ours at the same time."