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It’s not déjà vu; Lightning has struck twice in Mexico City, and not only because of the storms that hit the area.
In England’s round of 16 match against Mexico at the Mexico City Stadium on Sunday, Jude Bellingham scored two goals in two minutes, becoming the first player to score two goals at the stadium since 1986. The latest player? The Argentine legend Diego Maradona, against England.
While Maradona needed more than two minutes to score his brace against Belgium in the 1986 World Cup, he didn’t need much longer, as his two goals came just four minutes apart.
Bellingham and Maradona are not the only two players to have scored a World Cup double at the historic stadium, far from it. However, they are part of an elite club of players who have scored at least two goals in the World Cup knockout stage.
Here are all the players who have scored at least two goals at the Azteca Stadium in the round of 16 of the World Cup, from first to last:
Gerd Müller vs. Italy (Semifinal 1970)
(Photo by Ferdi Hartung/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
In the legendary “Game of the Century” at the Azteca Stadium, Gerd Müller showed exactly why defenders around the world feared him. With a dramatic double in extra time with goals in the 94th and 110th minutes, Müller lifted West Germany’s hopes.
Although Italy ultimately took the victory 4-3, Müller’s brilliant performance went straight into the football history books.
Gary Lineker vs. Paraguay (1986 Round of 16)
(Photo by Peter Robinson – PA Images via Getty Images)
Lineker’s first goal came in the 31st minute, converting a close pass from Steve Hodge to open the scoring. He capped off his day off with his second goal in the 73rd minute after a perfect cross and an assist from Gary Stevens set him up to seal the victory.
His performance against Paraguay helped England to a 3-0 shutout victory, making Lineker one of the few English players at the time to score a World Cup double at the historic Azteca Stadium.
Diego Maradona vs. England (Quarterfinals 1986)
(Photo by Jean-Yves Ruszniewski/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
Without a doubt, Maradona has the most controversial double in history at the Azteca Stadium, and it all starts with the emotional impact of the goals against England. His first goal became famous as the “Hand of God” after Maradona used his left hand to hit the ball past the goalkeeper.
For Maradona’s second goal, he intercepted the ball in his own half, beat several defenders and tricked the goalkeeper to score. He scored both goals in four minutes that gave Argentina a 2-1 victory to advance to the semifinals against Belgium.
Diego Maradona vs. Belgium (Semifinal 1986)
(Photo by STAFF/AFP via Getty Images)
If you can do it once, why not do it twice in consecutive games? That’s exactly what Maradona achieved against Belgium. His first goal came in the 51st minute, thanks to a delicate shot that went over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
Maradona’s second goal came in the 63rd minute to give Argentina a 2-0 victory, sending them to the final against West Germany.
Jude Bellingham vs. Mexico (Round of 16 2026)
(Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP via Getty Images)
Bellingham’s double against Mexico on their own turf couldn’t have come at a better time for England. Bellingham scored twice within minutes of each goal, scoring a header in the 35th minute before converting a sliding shot in the 37th minute off an assist from Harry Kane.
He became the first player to score two goals in the round of 16 at the Estadio Azteca in four decades, pushing England into the Semi-Finals against Norway. History continues to be made for England as they seek their first World Cup since 1966.
