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Mexico's World Cup party ends in tears at the Azteca
After reaching the round of 16 without conceding a goal, Mexico lost to an England team that played the final third of the match with 10 men after Jarell Quansah was sent off
- PUBLISHED: Mon 6 Jul 2026, 8:48 PM
Mexico's World Cup dream died in a crushing 3-2 defeat by England at their fortress Azteca Stadium on Sunday, delivering a gut punch to home fans who had started to believe 'El Tri' were destined to go deep into the tournament.
Fans streamed out of the iconic stadium, where Mexico had lost only two competitive matches before Sunday's defeat, many in tears.
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The noise of more than 80,000-strong supporters silenced.
The question that had echoed around the stadium throughout the match -- "¿Y si sí?" (What if?) -- brutally answered.
"The party's over," said Elizabeth Marcos on the way out of the stadium. "It's sad, they were down to 10 men... but that’s just how it goes."
After reaching the round of 16 without conceding a goal, Mexico lost to an England team that played the final third of the match with 10 men after Jarell Quansah was sent off.
Leaning against a damp bench by the exit, Ulises Chavez said: "It's hard to take, it's so painful."
Along the city's central Reforma avenue, where thousands had gathered despite the rain to watch the match on giant screens, the mood was heavily subdued.
In stark contrast to the heartbreak of the crowd, an upbeat mariachi band continued to play as the clearing streets filled with thousands of dejected fans making their way home.
Aysha Peraza, 39, who had travelled from Sinaloa to the heart of the capital, watched a morning of intense optimism give way to a quiet, heavy heartbreak.
"From early on, the people were in a super good mood,” Peraza said as fans cleared out. "Right now, people are sad, you can feel the sadness.
"Mexico made it very far," she said. "And, well, they made us feel things we hadn't felt in a long time."
Meanwhile, Javier Aguirre backed Rafa Marquez to lead Mexico into the future after the co-hosts' World Cup run ended, bringing the curtain down on Aguirre's third spell in charge.
Aguirre, who had already made clear he would leave his role after the tournament, said former Mexico captain Marquez was ready to continue the work done with a squad that restored belief during the country's deepest World Cup run in 40 years.
"I would have liked to say goodbye to my people with a victory. That hurts," Aguirre told reporters. "We tried."
Aguirre said he was leaving with pride despite the pain of elimination, pointing to the unity of the squad and the renewed connection with supporters.
"I leave with a lot of pride," he said. "These players made me very happy. We recovered the sense of belonging and the identity of this team."
Marquez, who captained Mexico at five World Cups and worked alongside Aguirre during the tournament, is expected to take the project forward after the veteran coach's departure.
"I wish him the best," Aguirre said. "He is more than capable, and he will do better than me."