England progressed to the last 16 of the World Cup with a comeback victory over DR Congo in their last-32 tie on Wednesday.
Captain Harry Kane proved the hero, scoring two late goals to secure the win and book England’s place in the knockout rounds.
However, former Three Lions forward Wayne Rooney has warned that manager Thomas Tuchel still has serious problems to address before facing Mexico.
Rooney said there are still “big concerns” surrounding the England squad despite the relief of progressing past the DR Congo challenge.
England now face Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium in a last-16 clash scheduled for Monday 6 July, with kick-off at 01:00 BST.
Questions are mounting throughout Tuchel’s squad, with the right-back position and wide forward roles both the subject of significant debate.
Djed Spence’s reliability at full-back remains a concern, and Tuchel faces a difficult decision over whether to persist with the defender in such a high-stakes fixture.
Anthony Gordon delivered two assists against DR Congo, throwing down a real challenge to Marcus Rashford’s place in the England starting line-up.
Whether Gordon has done enough to dislodge Rashford entirely from the starting eleven is one of the most pressing selection questions for Tuchel to answer.
The fitness of Bukayo Saka also looms large over England’s preparations, with the coaching staff needing to carefully weigh the risk of playing him against the need for his quality.
Kane’s clinical intervention late in the match papered over what had been a largely unconvincing performance from England against DR Congo.
Tuchel will be aware that Mexico will represent a considerably tougher test, and the structural issues Rooney highlighted cannot be ignored at this stage of the tournament.
The Azteca Stadium will provide an intense and historic backdrop for the tie, adding extra pressure to an England side still searching for their best form.
Fans across England will be hoping Tuchel can find the right answers in time, as the Three Lions look to advance deep into the 2026 World Cup.
