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The World Cup is at the center of a full-blown institutional firestorm tonight. FIFA's decision to lift the red card suspension on US striker Folarin Balogun ahead of the round of sixteen clash with Belgium has UEFA furious and England manager Thomas Tuchel openly baffled, calling the disciplinary process total confusion. When governing bodies are fighting governing bodies mid-tournament, something has gone badly wrong.
And speaking of England, they came through that round of sixteen in dramatic fashion, edging Mexico three goals to two at the Azteca with Bellingham bagging a brace and Kane adding the third. It was a gut-punch for the hosts, but the pain didn't stop there — Santiago Gimenez missed a penalty that could have changed everything, and Raúl Jiménez's strike came far too late to matter.
The fallout was immediate. Within hours of the final whistle, Javier Aguirre resigned as Mexico's head coach, and the federation wasted no time — Barcelona legend Rafa Márquez is set to take the reins, stepping up from his role with the youth setup to lead El Tri into a new chapter. It's a massive moment for Mexican football.
That's your play-by-play. Sports Desk, back to the booth.
