The Prince of Wales was among the first to congratulate the England football team after the Three Lions battled to a 3-2 win against Mexico in their World Cup last-16 clash. William urged the team on to the quarter-finals as he was joined by millions of fans across the country in celebrating the triumph in Mexico City.
Late-Night Celebrations Across the UK
Supporters packed out hundreds of bars and pubs for the late-night clash after the Government extended opening hours to 5am on Monday. Beers flew into the air at the final whistle following 11 minutes of added time. The drama began early when forecasted thunderstorms struck around the Azteca stadium on Sunday evening UK time, eventually causing the kick-off to be delayed by an hour to 2am over risk of lightning strikes.
Match Drama: Red Card and Penalties
The game picked up where the weather left off, with England playing much of the second-half with 10 men after defender Jarell Quansah was sent off for a high tackle following a VAR review, while both sides were awarded penalties. England captain Harry Kane scored a crucial second-half penalty, but struggled to speak when interviewed after the match.
Royal and Political Reactions
The prince wrote in a social media post: “Well done England! Bring on the quarter final!” MPs around the country also stayed up late to watch. Labour MP Stella Creasy quipped on X: “I have no idea how I do the school run this morning after a red card and a penalty… Like having had ten espressos and a red bull chaser…” Reform MP Robert Jenrick added: “So proud of this England team. Heroes, each and every one of them.”
Fan Celebrations from London to Manchester
Ecstatic England fans spontaneously broke out into Sweet Caroline at Boxpark Wembley in north-west London, with people jumping into the air and CO2 cannons blasting white fog in celebration. Similar scenes occurred at fan parks in Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle with confetti flying as shirtless fans embraced each other.
Looking Ahead to the Quarter-Final
Co-hosts Mexico had only lost two of their previous 89 competitive games at the Estadio Azteca, which lies more than 2,200 metres above sea level. England will now face Norway on Saturday in the quarter-final after the Scandinavian side defeated Brazil 2-1. The weather delay followed days of speculation around the potential impact of storms. FIFA previously decided against moving the game forward by six hours to avoid disruption following talks with both the Mexican and English football associations.
