World Cup highlights: England survive Mexico gauntlet as Haaland downs Brazil

England players celebrate after the match
England players celebrate after the matchREUTERS / Paul Childs

Sunday marked the second day of the World Cup round of 16. After Morocco and France advanced on Saturday, the following day saw Norway and England secure their spots, eliminating Brazil and Mexico, respectively.

Flashscore brings you the best moments of the tournament in our daily World Cup round-up.

Here’s what happened on Day 25:

The highlights

In the first match of the day, Brazil played a tense game against Norway, ultimately losing 2-1. After missing a penalty, with Bruno Guimaraes, just 14 minutes into the match, the Selecao found themselves in an unusual situation.

Norway dominated possession, with coach Carlo Ancelotti’s team sitting deep, looking to find space for counterattacks. Brazil’s punishment came in the second half after more missed chances.

Haaland’s killer instinct made the difference, scoring twice late in the game to send Brazil home earlier than expected.

The other match of the day was a memorable one. The clash between Mexico and England was played at a frenetic pace, ending with a 3-2 win for the English.

The first half ended 2-1 to the Europeans, with plenty of chances for more goals. In the second half, Quansah’s red card looked set to ignite the match, just moments before Harry Kane made it 3-1 to deflate Mexico, who suffered their first-ever World Cup defeat at the Azteca, despite a late response with a penalty goal from Raul Jimenez.

World Cup 2026

The 2026 World Cup will be held from June 11th to July 19th in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament will feature 48 national teams and will be played in 16 modern stadiums.

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Player of the day

In his first World Cup, Haaland showed Brazil why he’s considered one of the world’s top strikers. Even with few touches on the ball, he made the difference when the chances came.

The striker was clinical: he took four shots in the match, hitting the target three times. The striker extended his run to 15 consecutive official matches scoring for Norway.

Unlike Brazil, who failed to convert their chances, the Norwegian was ruthless with two key plays. The first was a header from Haaland, true to his style, outjumping defender Gabriel Magalhaes. For the second, he fired a low shot into the corner past Alisson to seal Brazil’s elimination.

Goal of the day

Haaland made Brazil taste the same bitterness that many European and Premier League clubs have felt in recent years. His headed goal showcased some of his best qualities: height, precision, and positioning.

Erling Haaland's Stats Versus Brazil
Erling Haaland's Stats Versus BrazilREUTERS/Dylan Martinez TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY / Opta by Stats Perform

When the chance came, Haaland won the aerial duel with Gabriel Magalhaes, a familiar face from English football, and this new chapter in their rivalry had a clear winner.

At the 79th minute, Haaland showed why he’s such a feared striker, expertly heading in a cross from the byline to start Brazil’s downfall.

Best of social media

Cristiano Ronaldo’s press conference was already set to draw attention. But the Portuguese star’s presence in the media room, ahead of Portugal vs Spain, became even more notable when CR7 asked to answer a question from Marcelo Bechler, a TNT Brazil commentator.

Cristiano Ronaldo made a point of calling on the journalist, taking the opportunity to tease Bechler and his critics in his response. The player said he chose Bechler because, in his view, he was sure the journalist didn’t like the Portuguese idol.