Why England's win over Mexico may be the greatest World Cup victory since 1966
06.07.26, 14:00 Updated 06.07.26, 14:10 3 Minute Read
Robert Taylor
So, come on then, how does that rank in England’s entire post-66 history? Was it really, like some are saying after an exhausting, blood-pressure-raising, sleepless night, our greatest ever? Or are we getting carried away with the undeniable emotion of it all?
It’s easy to argue the case against. This was “only” Mexico – a good team, but not a great one, several places below us in the world rankings. England went into the match as marginal favourites. Mexico have never gone beyond a World Cup quarter-final, the last time being as long ago as 1986. Few, if any, of the Mexicans would get into a combined XI and the rest of the world would have been expecting a Three Lions triumph. Oh, and of course it was the round of 16, not a semi-final or a final.
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Robert Taylor Author of Tears for England, Robert combines wit, honesty and lived experience. A writer shaped by England’s highs and lows, he offers thoughtful, grounded insight into the national team.