Tuchel: 'Azteca and Mexico made it special' – England boss fumes at VAR after World Cup win

England manager Thomas Tuchel praised his team's resilience after a hard-fought Round of 16 victory over Mexico at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but also launched a scathing attack on the match officials. Speaking after the game at Mexico City's iconic Estadio Azteca, Tuchel said: "I feel immense pride. Every single player was needed tonight. It was a tough battle – Mexico kept coming back at us when we thought we had control. But the mentality in this squad is outstanding. "When things don't go according to plan, the players never drop their heads. This is another step forward. We need to digest this match. The Azteca and the Mexican national team made the encounter truly special. We gave absolutely everything. Now we move on." The German coach, however, did not hold back his criticism of the officiating. "The refereeing wasn't good enough – the main referee, the fourth official, not up to standard. Three South American VAR officials for a match like this? And then the intervention on the penalty decision – was it really that clear an error? Absolutely not. They overturned a call where there wasn't even a foul," Tuchel told the BBC. England now advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of Argentina vs. United States.