England boss Thomas Tuchel hailed his side's victory over Mexico as a "moment of joy" and "like we won a final" - and spared some kind words for the defeated co-hosts11:11, 06 Jul 2026England manager Thomas Tuchel has said his side's scintillating 3-2 victory over Mexico "felt like we won the final".‌The Three Lions dumped co-hosts Mexico out of the World Cup in dramatic fashion last night to set up an intriguing clash with Erling Haaland and Norway in Saturday's quarter-final.‌Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, and Anthony Gordon shone as England overcame altitude to claim a hard-fought win - but a 54th minute red card, a penalty for Mexico and 11 minutes of injury time it made for nail-biting viewing for fans back home, who stayed up until past 4am after a thunderstorm caused a delay to kick-off.‌Speaking to reporters at the post-match press conference, Tuchel reflected on the intense days leading up to the game, which saw the England camp forced rapidly adjust to local conditions while football fans let off fireworks outside their hotel in a bid to stop them from sleeping.Tuchel, who was announced as Gareth Southgate's successor in 2024, said: "In the buildup, it never felt like a Round of 16, and it still doesn't. It feels almost like we won a final or something. That last moment when the referee takes the whistle to his mouth and you know that you overcame it- 40, 50 minutes with 10 men in the altitude against the home country, against a strong Mexican team. It is a moment of joy, and it is a heroic performance and a heroic result in the end.‌"I'm so happy for the players. It ranks at the very highest level, of course, for me to be part of this, to live this experience the last two days."Tuchel, 52, also offered some kind words for the defeated hosts, saying: "To be in this country, to see the people on the side of the streets all the way to the stadium was such a special moment. To overcome it against all adversity makes it very special, and it will have a special place for all of us.‌"I think we played against a strong team in an amazing stadium in an amazing country. I almost feel sorry that you're out because I saw the passion and the emotion of all the people on the side of the streets today and yesterday from the bus. But of course, I'm incredibly proud of my team and our achievement to go back into the quarter-finals."After FIFA lifted USA striker Folarin Balogun's red card for the upcoming clash with Belgium following a reported phone call from the White House, Tuchel joked that skipper Harry Kane could ask the US president to help get Jarell Quansah's ban removed, telling a Mirror reporter at the press conference: "Where does it start and where does this end, is my question. I don't have an answer. Can Harry maybe ask Donald Trump? That's a good starting point."Article continues belowUSA face Belgium in the round of 16 at 1am on Tuesday (UK time). The tie is widely expected to be the USA's toughest of the tournament yet, with Belgium ranked ninth by FIFA.But Mauricio Pochettino's potent side, who beat Bosnia-Herzegovina to reach this stage, have scored 10 goals in the tournament so far.