World Cup 2026: England’s Bellingham and Kane double act are the nation’s Wonderwall

After Jude Bellingham opened the scoring for England against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, he and Harry Kane were the last to peel away from the celebrations.

Left behind by their team-mates after the first wave of celebrations, the pair stood side by side, arms outstretched as they soaked in the acclaim from the England supporters who had flocked to Mexico City.

It is one of the defining images of their 2026 World Cup campaign.

Kane and Bellingham were vital in England’s hard-fought 3-2 victory in the last 16 and less than two minutes after the opener, the captain supplied the assist for the Real Madrid midfielder to complete a quickfire double that silenced the home supporters.

Then came Kane’s moment. With his team a player down, after Jarell Quansah’s red card, and Mexico resurgent, the 32-year-old calmly converted from the penalty spot to score what proved to be the winner – few players are more reliable than him from 12 yards out.

England are through to the quarter-finals and their fortunes in this tournament look increasingly intertwined with the form and impact Kane and Bellingham are having on the pitch.

Erling Haaland and Norway will provide another formidable test for Thomas Tuchel’s side when they meet in Miami on Saturday. But just how dependent are England’s World Cup ambitions on their dynamic duo?