It’s time for England to prove they can live up to the hype. After a bumpy ride through the group stage and a difficult Round of 32 win over DR Congo, the Three Lions are now tasked with playing Mexico at the Estadio Azteca — where El Tri haven’t lost since 2013. Mexico have won all of their matches in this tournament and haven’t conceded a goal. Can Harry Kane save England once again on Sunday? Kickoff in Mexico City is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
The latest England vs. Mexico odds from FanDuel list England as -136 favorites to advance to the next round, while Mexico are +112 underdogs. Meanwhile, the Over/Under for total goals scored in regulation time is 2.5. There’s no shortage of other soccer betting options at FanDuel, where you can use the latest FanDuel promo code to get $1,000 in bet reset tokens.
You can get even more England vs. Mexico picks and more World Cup bets from SportsLine’s experts like Brad Thomas, Jon Eimer, Martin Green and Brandt Sutton. Anyone following their World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
England vs. Mexico odds
| England vs. Mexico 90-minute money line: | England +145, Tie +210, Mexico +210 |
| England vs. Mexico 90-minute over/under: | 2.5 (Over +142, Under -176) |
| Bet England vs. Mexico on FanDuel: | Check out the latest FanDuel promo code here |
England vs. Mexico betting preview
Things have not gone fully to Thomas Tuchel’s plans. The England coach built his squad to maximize star striker Harry Kane’s strengths and it’s hard to argue that aspect hasn’t worked, given that Kane has scored five goals thus far. But cracks are beginning to show elsewhere.
Tuchel was criticized for his defensive selections when the roster was revealed, particularly at right back. Reece James has suffered a host of injuries over the last few years and yet another hamstring issue has sidelined him at the World Cup. Backup Tino Livramento had to bow out due to injury before the tournament even began, and Djed Spence looked overwhelmed in the Round of 32 against DR Congo. Elsewhere, Arsenal stars Declan Rice (midfield) and Bukayo Saka (right wing) are managing injuries. Rice seems to be operating at 60% capacity, while Saka has been largely relegated to coming off the bench. Both left wingers — Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford — have had mixed results, while Noni Madueke hasn’t impressed in Saka’s place.
Yet England have made the Round of 16, almost entirely due to the excellence of Kane. England’s striker may be the greatest player to ever wear the three lions on his chest. He bailed England out through sheer force of will against DR Congo. There’s a reason Tuchel built this team around him, and if England are to escape the Azteca, he will likely be the reason why.
Escaping the Azteca is easier said than done. Mexico haven’t lost there since 2013 and have only lost twice since the building opened. Moreover, El Tri have been able to play all of their games on Mexican soil thus far and haven’t conceded a goal. The quality of their opposition hasn’t been great, to put it kindly — they’ve played multiple teams whose coaches have since left their posts — but Mexico have looked genuinely good.
Julian Quinones has been a revelation in attack and is the exact sort of speedster the English defense can struggle to contain. Raul Jimenez, who has been a Premier League player for some time now, will be quite familiar with the English opposition. With the most oppressive stadium environment in soccer — between the sky-high altitude and rabid fans — on their side, El Tri may very well have the best home field advantage in all of sports.
England have crashed out of the World Cup here before. This is where Diego Maradona sent England home with two of the most famous goals in history in 1986. The oddsmakers have made England favorites for Sunday’s match, but it will be an impressive accomplishment if they can get the job done. Expect a battle for the ages.
England vs. Mexico picks, prediction
Mexico to qualify for the next round (+112)
Be wary of getting carried away by a narrative. But this time, the narrative makes sense. This is one of the most uncomfortable matchups England could have drawn. Mexico’s inherent home field advantage is bad enough, but England just haven’t looked connected enough to cope with what’s going to be thrown at them. This should be a tight game and Kane should get his pound of flesh, but the Three Lions are on serious upset alert.
Julian Quinones anytime goalscorer (+330)
Declan Rice is playing hurt. Djed Spence seems to spend half his playing time being yelled at by Tuchel. The English center back pairings haven’t always been on the same page. England will be playing at major altitude with little time to adjust after playing a match against DR Congo that completely depleted their batteries. Conditions will be perfect for Quinones to turn and burn.
