Jude Bellingham just delivered the game of his life at the Estadio Azteca. He also delivered a message England fans probably should not repeat to their bosses on Monday morning.
After England’s dramatic 3-2 win over Mexico in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Bellingham was asked by BBC for a note to the supporters back home. He did not go with the standard “thanks for watching” line.
“Have another shot and text your bosses to say you’re not coming in tomorrow,” the Real Madrid star told BBC.
Fair. The match kicked off at a brutal hour for England supporters, and given how it ended, plenty of them stayed up long past the final whistle to soak in the celebration. If you are calling in sick to work on Monday in Manchester, you have Bellingham’s blessing.
The 23 year old midfielder earned the right to say whatever he wanted after the performance he put in. Bellingham scored twice in the first half, netting in the 36th and 38th minutes to give England a 2-0 cushion. That second goal made him the first player since Diego Maradona in 1986 to score two goals in a World Cup game at the Azteca. That is elite company, and it did not happen by accident.
Mexico refused to fold. Julian Quinones cut the deficit in the 42nd minute. Harry Kane restored the two goal lead with a penalty in the 60th, but Raul Jimenez pulled one back with a penalty of his own in the 69th. From there England held on, running out clock and defending everything Mexico could throw at them.
This was supposed to be the tournament where Mexico ended a nightmare stretch at the Azteca. Instead, they lost at home for the first time in a World Cup, and their tournament ended in front of 87,000 heartbroken fans in Mexico City.
England, meanwhile, is rolling. The Three Lions have looked like a real threat to win this thing, and Bellingham is the driving force behind that belief. He plays with the confidence of a player who knows he is the best guy on the pitch, and lately he has been backing it up every match.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel has this group organized and dangerous. Harry Kane is scoring. Bukayo Saka is creating. The back line is holding up. And Bellingham is doing whatever he wants in the midfield. That is a tournament winning formula if it holds.
Next up is Norway on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The Norwegians earned their spot in the quarterfinals by pulling off a stunner and eliminating Brazil on Sunday, so this is not going to be a soft draw. Erling Haaland is on the other side of the ball, and he does not need many chances to change a match.
England fans should probably actually go to work Saturday. The one after that, if this run keeps going, they might have another excuse. For now, Bellingham has earned the right to be a little cheeky.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
