England’s team and supporters were thrilled with their significant 3-2 victory over World Cup co-hosts Mexico, but for one player, the jubilation was short-lived.
In the last-16 match held at the Estadio Azteca, Mexico suffered their third competitive defeat on home soil and their first in 13 years. The game was action-packed, featuring five goals, a red card, and two penalties.
Fans of the England team stayed awake until after 4 am local time to witness their squad progress to the quarter-finals.
The performance, highlighted by Jude Bellingham’s two goals in rapid succession, left both the England team and their fans ecstatic.
In celebration, they sang Oasis’ “Wonderwall” alongside the audience, until Jordan Henderson required medical attention.
Though Henderson did not play, as an unused substitute, he joined the team in their celebration.
During the celebrations, team captain Harry Kane, who had lost his voice, mentioned in a press interview, “Jordan Hendo just fell over there. I think he’s OK.”
Footage later revealed the 36-year-old falling while trying to leap over an advertising board to get onto the pitch, after teammate Dan Burn had successfully made the jump.
“Jordan [Henderson] just fell over and injured his wrist. It looks really bad,” England manager Thomas Tuchel informed the BBC after the victory.
“It’s quite a serious injury and it’s unfortunate that Jordan is currently not with us. The doctor said he is in hospital.”
The report indicates that Henderson is being accompanied by a member of England’s support staff and will not return with the team today.
He is expected to miss England’s next match, where they will face Norway in the quarter-finals following Norway’s surprise victory over Brazil.
The match is scheduled to take place in Miami, with the winner advancing to the semi-finals to meet either Switzerland, Colombia, Egypt, or Argentina.
Despite their confidence in the team’s abilities, several pre-match concerns might have unsettled England fans.
Firstly, the weather posed a threat, with FIFA reportedly considering moving the game six hours earlier due to thunderstorms, though this idea was quickly dismissed.
The match still faced a one-hour delay because of the weather conditions.
Additionally, Mexico supporters were celebrating outside England’s hotel throughout the night, which some speculated was an attempt to disrupt their rest.
Lastly, the altitude at the Estadio Azteca was a significant factor. According to Al Jazeera, the stadium is situated 2,240 meters above sea level, leading to thinner air and challenging breathing conditions.
Nonetheless, the team overcame these hurdles and delivered an exceptional performance!