Mexico player ratings vs England: Julián Quiñones shines and Raúl Jiménez gives El Tri hope, but Jude Bellingham ends historic World Cup run in Azteca thriller

Raúl Rangel (6/10):

Needed to be sharper on the sequence that led to England’s third goal, especially with the Three Lions already down a man. Still, he was not the main reason Mexico lost control during that damaging two-minute spell.

Jorge Sánchez (6/10):

His pressing triggers in England’s half caused problems and helped Mexico recover the ball in dangerous areas. Defensively, though, he struggled whenever Anthony Gordon isolated him in open space.

César Montes (6/10):

Nearly scored the equalizer before halftime, only for Bellingham to come to England’s rescue. His work on the ball was generally composed, but during the stretch when England jumped to a 2-0 lead, he could not give Mexico the defensive order it needed.

Johan Vásquez (7/10):

Capped a memorable tournament with another steady performance. Vásquez gave El Tri defensive stability throughout the World Cup, and his distribution stood out again against England.

Jesús Gallardo (5/10):

Got forward often on the left and gave Mexico width, but his final ball lacked accuracy. Too many of his crosses failed to find a target.

Érik Lira (7/10):

One of Mexico’s biggest winners from this World Cup. His performances should open the door to Europe, where he can continue developing into an important midfielder for club and country. His individual battle with Bellingham was one of the match’s most compelling duels.

Luis Romo (6/10):

Influenced a couple of Mexico’s early attacking moves, but faded as the match grew. El Tri needed more control in midfield, and Romo was unable to provide it consistently.

Gilberto Mora (6/10):

Before losing the ball that led to England’s second goal, Mora had delivered an impressive performance full of defensive work and smart touches in possession. What stood out most was his response: once Mexico pulled it back to 2-1, he settled down and tried to influence the match again, another sign of his maturity.

Roberto Alvarado (7/10):

His World Cup will be remembered for how effective he was on both sides of the ball. Without Alvarado’s movement, service and defensive work, Mexico would not have reached the attacking heights it did across the tournament.

Raúl Jiménez (7/10):

Aguirre kept him on over Quiñones because of his penalty-kick reliability, and Jiménez delivered from the spot to make it 3-2. Before that, Pickford had denied him twice with strong saves.

Julián Quiñones (8/10):

Mexico’s most dangerous player on the night. Without Quiñones, this match might never have become an instant classic. His influence faded only after Aguirre turned the final stretch into an aerial chase, and taking him off removed Mexico’s most decisive attacking threat.

Edson Álvarez (6/10):

Came on at halftime for the injured Montes and needed time to adjust to the speed of the match. Still tried to get involved, especially on set pieces.

Santiago Giménez (5/10):

Received several chances off the bench throughout the World Cup, but never looked fully confident in his movement or finishing. This was another difficult cameo.

Brian Gutiérrez (7/10):

Brought energy when he came on and immediately looked willing to attack England’s back line. His run forced Harry Kane into the foul that led to Jiménez’s penalty. This World Cup experience should be important for his future with El Tri.

Álvaro Fidalgo (6/10):

Took responsibility for much of Mexico’s ball movement late in the game, but could not find the final pass that might have produced the equalizer. His introduction did make the case that Mexico could have used his control earlier.

Guillermo Martínez (5/10):

Aguirre’s logic was clear: add another tall body in the box and search for the tying goal. But removing Quiñones, Mexico’s best player on the night, made the decision difficult to defend.

Javier Aguirre (7/10):

It is easy to find the red marks in defeat, and this one will leave Aguirre with a couple of questions. Mexico may have needed a more possession-minded midfielder like Fidalgo from the start instead of Romo, and late in the match, taking off Quiñones was a major gamble. You cannot remove a player with five goal contributions in the tournament when you need a goal most. Still, Aguirre leaves this World Cup having led Mexico to one of the most memorable runs in program history.