England's World Cup Classic at Azteca Stadium

Thomas Tuchel left the Azteca Stadium with a World Cup classic in his pocket and one nagging regret in his head.

He never tasted the grass.

In Mexico City, after England’s wild 3-2 win over the hosts in the World Cup round of 16, the England head coach admitted in an interview with Daniel Sturridge that he wishes he had gone full romantic and taken a bite out of the famous Azteca turf. The conversation, recorded for an upcoming Football Association feature, captured a manager still buzzing from the chaos and colour of one of the standout nights of England’s tournament.

Tuchel later messaged a friend, he said, telling him he wanted to keep part of that moment inside him forever. For a coach who has worked in some of the game’s grandest arenas, he still placed this one high on the list. He described the night at the Azteca as one of the brightest episodes of England’s World Cup campaign.

And it was earned the hard way.

Ten men, one fortress, and a rare Mexican defeat

England had to survive almost the entire second half with 10 men after Jarell Quansah was sent off. The red card turned a tense knockout tie into a siege. Mexico poured forward, the stadium roaring with every attack, but England clung to their lead.

The numbers underline how big this was for the visitors. This was only Mexico’s third defeat at the Azteca in 90 official matches. The ground is a fortress. On this night, England walked out of it with a place in the semi-finals and a memory that clearly still grips their head coach.

The pressure built. The noise rose. England bent, but they did not break. When the final whistle went, the release was huge.

Then the mood flipped in an instant.

Henderson’s cruel exit

During the celebrations, Jordan Henderson tumbled over an advertising board. The fall left him with a broken arm and an abrupt, brutal end to his tournament.

Tuchel highlighted what happened next. The party stopped. Players rushed to Henderson, formed a ring around him and shielded him from the chaos of the crowd and the cameras. In a campaign defined by tactical tweaks and big-game decisions, the coach pointed to that moment as proof of something less measurable: unity.

England moved on from Mexico into the semi-finals, where their run stalled against Argentina. They recovered to beat France in the third-place match, banking a podium finish but also a sense of unfinished business at the very top.

Now the next chapter comes quickly. On 26 September, England open the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League season against reigning world champions Spain. New tournament, new stakes, same manager still chasing nights as vivid as Mexico — and maybe this time, he’ll remember to taste the grass.