Thierry Henry sounds alarm for England ahead of World Cup clash with Mexico
France’s former striker Thierry Henry thinks England has to reflect on its performance after the comeback victory over DR Congo in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32. He believes Thomas Tuchel’s team relies too heavily on Harry Kane’s individual brilliance and may face much more serious problems against Mexico in the next round.
England defeated DR Congo 2-1 despite falling behind as early as the seventh minute. The African side held the lead for a long time and came close to producing one of the biggest upsets of the knockout stage, but Kane turned the match around late on. England’s captain equalized in the 75th minute before sealing the victory with another goal in the 86th minute.
This exact scenario concerned Henry. The Frenchman admitted that Kane once again confirmed his status as a player capable of facing this challenge, even in the hardest moments. But, according to the former striker, England cannot build its game around the expectation of a save by the team’s captain.
«We all know this guy, Sir Harry [Kane], can be in a situation where he can open up any team at any moment, but you can’t start the game like that,» Goal.com cited Henry as saying.
According to him, the main issue is not the score but the way England enters the game. Against DR Congo, Tuchel’s team was given a margin for error because their opponents failed to convert several chances and couldn’t finish the match off. Against Mexico, Henry believes that the safety margin may disappear.
The next game is scheduled for the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, which sits more than 2,200 meters above sea level. For England, this will not just be a match against one of the tournament’s co-hosts but also a game under unfamiliar conditions, with the high altitude, pressure from the home crowd and the lack of comfort of a roofed stadium.
«If they start the same way they started today [against DR Congo] at the Azteca, dealing with the altitude, we don’t know how the weather is going to be. It’s one thing to play in a climate-controlled dome and entirely another to play outside at that elevation,» Henry noted.
He also highlighted Mexico’s solidity. The co-hosts haven’t conceded a single goal yet. In the group stage, Mexico defeated South Africa, South Korea and Czechia before beating Ecuador 2-0 in the round of 32.
That is why, according to Henry, it would be dangerous for England to hand the initiative to their opponents again from the start. If Mexico takes the lead first, it will be much harder for England to get back into the game than it was against DR Congo.
«I don’t know if you’re going to come back against a team that still hasn’t conceded a goal,» he summed up.
England will face Mexico in the round of 16 on July 5, 2026.
Meanwhile, on July 2, three rounds of 32 matches are scheduled: Spain vs. Austria, Portugal vs. Croatia and Switzerland vs. Algeria.
