Kane leads England to Mexico as USA keep on rollin'

Summary of Kane leads England to Mexico as USA keep on rollin'

by The Athletic

44m•July 2, 2026
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Overview of Totally Football Show: Kane leads England to Mexico as USA keep on rollin'

This episode covers a dramatic day at the World Cup: England’s late comeback win over DR Congo, the USA’s gritty victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Belgium’s astonishing turnaround against Senegal. The hosts also look ahead to the next round of fixtures, with England now heading to a daunting trip to Mexico City’s Azteca, where altitude and atmosphere could make life much harder.

England 2, DR Congo 1: Kane rescues a shaky performance

England were poor for long spells and looked vulnerable both in and out of possession, but Harry Kane produced two late goals to flip the match and keep them alive.

Main takeaways

  • DR Congo started faster and looked more organized than England early on.
  • England’s press was disjointed, and the back line looked exposed.
  • DR Congo’s goal came from strong build-up and a brilliant finish from Sipenga.
  • England improved after the break, but were still reliant on moments of quality rather than a cohesive team performance.
  • Harry Kane scored the equaliser and winner, reinforcing his status as England’s key player.

Key discussion points

  • The panel felt England’s problems are deeper than just a bad first half:
    • They still struggle to control games
    • They are over-reliant on a few stars
    • The defensive structure looks fragile
  • Declan Rice appeared tired and may be affected by the altitude and workload.
  • The hosts questioned the idea that England will automatically improve against better teams.

Notable insight

  • Kane has now scored 12% of England’s World Cup goals in history, underlining how central he has become to the national team.

England’s next challenge: Mexico at the Azteca

The show spent time on England’s upcoming match in Mexico City, where conditions are expected to be brutal.

Why England should worry

  • Altitude: at roughly 2,200 meters, it could affect recovery and repeated sprints.
  • Atmosphere: the Azteca is expected to be loud and hostile.
  • Mexico’s strengths: the hosts are praised for their defense, midfield bite, and emerging attacking threat.

Mexico narrative

  • The Mexican motto “¿Y si?” (“What if?”) has become a rallying cry, reflecting optimism and belief.
  • The hosts noted how this could become a genuine World Cup occasion.

USA 2, Bosnia and Herzegovina 0: A statement win under pressure

The USA continued their strong run with a disciplined win, even after going down to 10 men.

Main takeaways

  • Folarin Balogun scored before being sent off for serious foul play.
  • The USA kept their shape well after the red card and still found a second goal through Malik Tillman’s excellent free kick.
  • The performance was described as composed, mature, and resilient.

What it means

  • Mauricio Pochettino’s influence is increasingly visible.
  • The USA now look more confident and better prepared for pressure moments.
  • They have now beaten a European side for the first time in many attempts, which feels like a major psychological step.

Concern going forward

  • Balogun is suspended, which is a big blow given how effective he was as a number nine.

Belgium 2, Senegal 2? No—Belgium’s wild comeback win after trailing

Belgium produced the day’s most dramatic turnaround, coming from two goals down to win in extra time.

Main takeaways

  • Senegal led 2-0 and looked in control.
  • Belgium’s coach Rudi Garcia was heavily questioned when he removed Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku, but the changes eventually worked.
  • Romelu Lukaku and Yuri Tielemans inspired the comeback.
  • The winning goal came from a late penalty in the 127th minute, one of the latest goals in World Cup history.

Key moments

  • Senegal’s collapse was seen as partly tactical and partly mental.
  • Belgium’s substitutes made a real difference.
  • The penalty call was controversial, and Senegal’s reaction to it was chaotic, with attempts to distract the taker.

Why it matters

  • Belgium now meet the USA in a huge last-16 clash.
  • Despite their uneven group-stage form, Belgium still have enough talent and experience to be dangerous.

Looking ahead: the next round of matches

The episode closes by previewing Thursday’s fixtures and the knockout bracket.

Matches discussed

  • Spain vs Austria
    • Spain are expected to progress, though they have not yet hit top gear.
    • There’s interest in seeing Lamine Yamal in a big tournament moment.
  • Portugal vs Croatia
    • The panel leans toward Portugal, but acknowledges Croatia’s quality and resilience.
  • Switzerland vs Algeria
    • Another intriguing last-16 tie, though discussed more briefly.

Broader tournament context

  • Several traditional powers still haven’t fully “clicked.”
  • The bracket is beginning to open up, with major consequences for potential quarterfinal matchups.

Host notes and standout moments

  • Laurie Whitwell is leaving the show for now, and the episode includes a warm send-off.
  • Daniel Storey called in from a hotel doorway with weak Wi‑Fi, reflecting the life of a traveling tournament reporter.
  • A recurring theme throughout the episode is the contrast between chaos and control:
    • England survived via Kane’s brilliance
    • The USA showed composure under pressure
    • Belgium transformed a collapse into a comeback

Bottom line

This was a day where the elite teams mostly advanced, but not always convincingly. England remain heavily dependent on Harry Kane, the USA are building real belief under Pochettino, and Belgium reminded everyone that experience and quality can still overturn a bad hour. The next round promises even bigger tests—especially for England in Mexico City.