“Holding the lead, going down to 10 men”: Anderson says Azteca heroics give England “huge confidence” for the quarters | OneFootball

Elliot Anderson has said England have gained huge confidence from their World Cup win over Mexico after dealing with the adversity, altitude and atmosphere of the Azteca Stadium.

England reached the quarter-finals of the 2026World Cup after a 3-2 win over the co-hosts in Mexico City. The Three Lions survived Jarell Quansah's 54th-minute red card to grind out a hard-fought win over Mexico, with Jude Bellingham scoring twice and Harry Kane also on target.

Mexico had lost only twice previously in competitive games at the Azteca Stadium, and hadn't been beaten at the venue in 13 years.

Anderson admitted it was a massive performance and result from Thomas Tuchel's side. The midfielder said England have gained huge confidence from their gritty display, ahead of facing Norway in the last eight this weekend.

The fixture, kicking off at 10pm (BST), will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida

“We stuck together out there, it was an amazing performance and the attitude was top. We had all sorts of obstacles to overcome and thankfully we have done," Anderson said, as perSky Sports.

“The first half an hour was the main struggle but after that you sort of get used to it," he added on the altitude.

"But definitely the first 20, 25 minutes you’re struggling for breath, it's hard to breathe, but we all dealt with it really well.”

England became only the third side in history to beat Mexico in the Azteca Stadium, and Anderson believes that has given the squad huge momentum for what is to come.

“It gives the group huge confidence, holding the lead, going down to 10 men, it's a special group and I think that just shows the fight and togetherness that we have. It puts us in good stead for the later ones.”