Mexico v England - Absolute Cinema?
Like many, I feel that the recent Mexico v England world cup fixture was one of the best games of football I’ve ever watched. Shortly after the conclusion of the game when I was pondering whether to try and get a few hours sleep, or attempt to pull an all-nighter before collapsing like a slurring zombie around 3pm in the afternoon, I had what can only be described as a revelation.
Common consensus is that it was a game that ‘had it all’: a tense buildup stoked by altitude experts in the sports media, five goals, penalties, a sending off and a seemingly endless goalmouth siege.
But these ingredients alone are not enough to make a match an enduring classic. I think this game will live long in the memory because it had all the right elements and they all played out with perfect timing and sequencing - closely matching the idealised structure for a crowd pleasing movie screenplay.
Now, as an enthusiast and occasional promoter of the kind of films that can sometimes be characterised as weird, esoteric or even “What the fuck was that? I want my money back. You should be ashamed”, I don’t necessarily think that a film has to follow the tried and tested three-act structure to be enjoyable or entertaining. But it’s a fact that dramatically satisfying films that are popular with lots of people tend to follow a standard formula very, very, very closely.
Having foolishly tried to write a screenplay or two in the past, I’ve absorbed a bunch of the books and videos that lay out the ‘perfect’ screenplay structure. Below I will attempt to show how Mexico v England followed this so ridiculously closely that you could probably get a good conspiracy theory out of it (if FIFA hadn’t already kicked off a few of those themselves). We'll compare what a good screenplay should contain at each stage followed by the eerily similar events at the Azteca stadium. Strap yourself in...
Mexico V England (2026) - dir. Thomas Tuchel - 108 mins
Screenplay structure: Act One In the first act, the main characters are introduced and we learn about them. They are going about their usual business before at the end of act 1, a third of the way through the film, something surprising happens and changes the story for all involved.
Mexico v England: Act One The game begins, the referee introduces himself as an antagonist and creates dramatic tension with a harsh booking for Declan Rice - who now has to play the whole game on a knife-edge. Raul Jimenez emerges as the main threat, forcing Jordan Pickford into heroic action. Suddenly, very close to a third of the way through the running time (36 minutes to be exact) Jude Bellingham scores two goals in 90 seconds, subverting all expectations and turning the game on its head.
Screenplay Structure: Act Two As a result of the surprise at the end of act one the heroes find themselves in uncharted territory, then at the ‘midpoint’ halfway through the film, there is an event that crosses a threshold and acts as a point of no return for the story, before another dramatic surprise (!) right at the end of act two sets up the drama for the final third act.
Mexico v England: Act Two
England find themselves two goals up much to everyone’s surprise, just before half time Mexico re-establish their threat by getting a goal back from a poorly cleared set piece. On 54 minutes, almost exactly halfway through the running time of the movie match, Jarell Quansah goes in studs up and is sent off. Things aren’t looking good but Anthony Gordon wins a penalty, which Harry Kane scores leaving England leading by 2 goals. Tuchel makes defensive changes to help England see the game out - but then (!) on 69 minutes, with a clear sense of dramatic surprise Kane concedes a penalty. Jimenez puts it away and England are going to have to hold out for at least 21 minutes in a hostile stadium, at altitude, with 10 men.
Screenplay Structure: Act Three Our protagonists now face their greatest challenge and overcome physical or emotional hardship to win the day. Just as they are about to triumph, something adverse will happen that looks like it will defeat them, but they somehow overcome it and reach their goal.
Mexico v England: Act Three The England defense is battered by wave after wave of Mexican crosses, somehow they hold out. Reaching 90 minutes, the referee adds a shocking 11 minutes of extra time, but despite laying siege to the England area, Mexico can’t score. With 11 minutes of extra time having elapsed, victory is within grasp when the ball lands in the box a few yards from the line, John Stones sticks out a leg and diverts the ball just past the outside of the post - disaster averted. England repel the last few attacks and win the game. They collapse to the floor and then celebrate wildly. The End.
Fairly convincing I’d say, but if you still need persuading, I’d also point out that this was a game of football that also had not one but two Marvel style mid-credit sequences. First Jordan Henderson broke his arm in the celebrations and had to be stretchered off. Then Harry Kane gave an all time great/bizarre interview where his voice sounded like Dot Cotton on helium.
I rest my case. If you're still not convinced, look, I've done a diagram too.
