England booked their place in the World Cup quarter-finals with a memorable 3-2 victory over Mexico in the early hours of Monday morning.
From pre-match altitude discussions to controversial red cards, the odds were stacked against the Three Lions -- but Thomas Tuchel's side showed remarkable grit to get over the line at the Azteca.
A quickfire brace from Jude Bellingham put England in cruise control after 38 minutes, but a swift response from the co-hosts saw Julian Quinones halve the deficit just minutes before the break.
Jarell Quansah's contentious dismissal made life difficult for England, but it was still Harry Kane who had the say next , converting from the spot in the 60th minute to extend his nation's lead to 3-1.
The referee was called into action once more when Brian Gutierrez went down in the England box following a mistimed tackle from Harry Kane, and Raul Jimenez stepped up to net fire the resulting penalty home.
A nervy end to the game awaited, but England were able to hold off an onslaught of Mexico attacks to secure their place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Tuchel cut a frustrated figure on occasions in Mexico City; not at all for the efforts of his players, but for a series of decisions from the referee that he felt disadvantaged England.
In the aftermath of the game, the German's reaction was one of pride after a gruelling contest in tough conditions.
He said: “A heroic performance and a heroic result. I’m so happy with the players, and also for me, to live this experience in the last two days. Such a special memory, and against all the adversity it makes it very special for us.
"If a team has heart and belief then it’s this team. They did it on pure will. No words. Iconic match, iconic stadium, we overcame so much adversity today."
Much was made about the conditions that England were going to be playing in before a ball was even kicked, undoubtedly heightening an already colossal occasion.
Tuchel added: "I felt in the buildup that it never felt like a round-of-16 game. It still doesn’t, it feels like we won a final or something.
"The round of 16 is the moment in the tournament when you find a way to win. We did it with full mentality and heart. I’m so proud of the mentality and the way of this team. It’s a very special night for us."
Norway await England in the quarter-finals after defeating Brazil 2-1 on Sunday night, and reality is setting in for Three Lions supporters that the nation could be just 270 minutes of football away from celebrating a seismic World Cup triumph.
