Bellingham won player of the match
Jude Bellingham won the official player of the match award ('Esponjoso') for his performance against Mexico, scoring and driving England's play.
Snapshot · The Rest Is Football
Brilliant England battle through Mexico test to the Quarter Finals
Explore episode
Jul 6, 2026
Where this was said
Welcome and First Reactions to England's Win
At 4:19 · chapter starts 2:38
Gary Lineker opens with an immediate joyful energy, noting that the show is in a great mood following England's World Cup victory. Aitch, making his first appearance on the pod, admits to experiencing 111 minutes of pure anxiety. Lineker jokes the game aged him 10 years — which is 'not great when you're already ancient.' Brad Friedel immediately delivers the line of the night: he's happier Mexico lost than England won. [1] — Brad Friedel "Brad Friedel admitted he was 'more happy that Mexico lost than that England won' — a rare moment of raw honesty about the deep USA-Mexico s…" 03:35 The group quickly pivots to praising England's defensive heart with 10 men at altitude, with Brad praising how difficult the environment was and complimenting how England silenced the Azteca crowd. Jude Bellingham's player-of-the-match award is the first individual performance praised, with Lineker noting his arrival into his prime and describing him as an 'extraordinary athlete.'
Brad Friedel's Savage Confession: I Wanted Mexico to Lose
Brad Friedel admitted he was 'more happy that Mexico lost than that England won' — a rare moment of raw honesty about the deep USA-Mexico sporting rivalry. He still praised England's defensive resilience with 10 men, but his confession got the biggest laugh of the night.
Jude Bellingham: The Complete Modern Midfielder
Jude Bellingham won player of the match and was described as 'an 8, 9, and 10 all wrapped in one' — a midfielder who scores like a striker, defends like a box-to-box dynamo, and leads like a captain. Gary Lineker, Micah Richards and Brad Friedel all agreed he is now operating at a level no England midfielder has reached in years.
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