Jude's attitude can never be questioned again after colossal Mexico display

Mexico 2-3 England: Jude Bellingham's World Cup heroics silence remaining doubters of superstar's commitment to Thomas Tuchel's cause Jude Bellingham put in one of the greatest individual performances in England World Cup history during the 3-2 win over Mexico; Bellingham took his tally to four goals this tournament having faced question marks over his starting spot in the build-up Monday 6 July 2026 10:38, UK There aren't enough superlatives to describe what Jude Bellingham produced in the cauldron that was the Azteca. The headlines will be the two goals within 98 seconds of each other that put England well on their way to the World Cup quarter-finals, and understandably so. He became the first player since Diego Maradona to do so during a World Cup game in that stadium in 40 years. What those who stayed up until the early hours witnessed was a display of true heart, courage and determination from Thomas Tuchel's side. A performance to make any fan feel patriotic. Away from the goals, no one symbolised that more than Bellingham. This is the same man who was facing a debate over whether or not he should be starting ahead of the opener against Croatia. He had been dropped from Tuchel's squad less than a year ago. The German also professed his love for Morgan Rogers. His line-ups in the pre-tournament friendlies indicated that he was going to stick by the Aston Villa man. Yet, one of the defining images from the game at the Azteca saw Tuchel and Bellingham embrace at the full-time whistle. Any hint of animosity had vanished. How could anyone be critical of the 23-year-old? He left everything on the pitch. Forget the goals, as important as they were. That didn't sum up Bellingham's night. It was about every blade of grass he ran through. It was about the tackles he won. The take-ons when surrounded by four players he completed. - Mexico 2-3 England: Match report & reaction - England ratings: Bellingham shines but heroic defence secures QF spot - England's route to the World Cup final - As it happened | Teams | Stats | Knockout bracket - Follow our World Cup coverage in the Sky Sports App The goal-line clearance to stop Mexico from equalising on the stroke of half-time. His desire to keep running when his gas tank was depleted. Just the look in his eyes. There was an incredible moment in the dying embers of second-half stoppage time where England won a throw deep in the Mexican half. Bellingham was seen grabbing the aforementioned Rogers' face and telling him to keep going. This is despite the fact that Rogers had been on the pitch roughly 10 minutes, when Bellingham had nearly played 100. Yet, he was urging his fresher team-mates to join him in the trenches. Pre-tournament, it seemed as though Tuchel never doubted Bellingham's quality. The questions were more aimed at his mentality. He's settled at Real Madrid. He's undoubtedly a superstar. He's surrounded by other superstars who have been criticised for not giving everything for their team. Perhaps it had rubbed off on Bellingham slightly? Maybe that was Tuchel's concern. This performance alone should put a stop to that. Jude Bellingham's attitude when he puts on an England shirt can never, ever be questioned again. Not after that. Not after a superhuman effort in suboptimal conditions. Bellingham did it all. But, to a certain extent, we shouldn't be surprised by that. That's been the case all tournament. His numbers this summer rank among the best offensively, creatively and defensively. To put it simply, Bellingham has ranked as one of England's best attackers, midfielders and defenders. At this point, you could put him in goal and there would be nothing to worry about. Is that a bit of an overkill? Of course it is. But when words fail to sum up what this man has done, exaggerations are a necessity. Speaking in the mixed zone post-match, Bellingham claimed that anyone of his team-mates could've done what he did. "I know what I can offer to the team but make no mistake about it, we've got 26 lads there who could've done exactly what I did tonight," he said. "I'm convinced of it. I hope that a win like this can give them that same conviction." The simple fact is, he's wrong. The stats show that no one can do all of what he is doing at both ends of the pitch to such a high standard. Nevertheless, his words are not that of someone who has let superstardom go to their head. That couldn't be further from the truth. Those are the words of a boy from Birmingham, proud to represent his country, to stand alongside his compatriots and to give everything he has and then some for that shirt. As if he couldn't do anything to make fans love him even more, he said the one thing everyone was thinking. "Text your bosses and tell them you're not going into work tomorrow." In one sentence, you've seen a man not only silence any doubters he may still have had lingering, but has turned them into his biggest supporters. He does what he does on the pitch and says what he says after, because one thing is clear. He is committed to England. That much can never be questioned again.