IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Caean Couto
FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group L - Panama v England - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. - June 27, 2026 England's Jordan Henderson shakes hands with Panama's Alberto Quintero after the match
On Sunday, England punched its ticket to the quarterfinals of the World Cup with a hard-fought win against Mexico in hostile territory. However, it did suffer a loss after Jordan Henderson fell victim to a wrist injury while celebrating the victory that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the tournament.
England entered this year’s World Cup hoping to take home the trophy for the first time in 60 years. The team got off to a solid start, but it found itself facing the toughest test of the tournament after earning the right to face off against Mexico at Estadio Azteca.
The match marked the first time England played at the venue in Mexico City since Diego Maradona scored his infamous “Hand of God” goal before absolutely undressing the defense en route to netting the one that served as the deciding tally in Argentina’s 2-1 win during the knockout round in 1986.
On Sunday, the Three Lions had to grapple with the 7,220 feet of altitude inside a stadium that was packed with more than 80,000 fans who were primarily rooting for a Mexican squad that had not given up a single goal in the four games it played at the World Cup to get to that point.
However, England pulled out to a 2-0 lead after Jude Bellingham scored two goals less than two minutes apart, and they were able to ward off a comeback after playing the majority of the second half down a man due to Jarell Quansah’s red card to set up a showdown with Norway with a 3-2 win.
The result certainly merited a celebration, but it was soured by the freak injury one player suffered while partaking.
Jordan Henderson will be sidelined for the rest of the World Cup after injuring his wrist while celebrating
Jordan Henderson, the former Liverpool captain who currently plays for Brentford, didn’t see the pitch during England’s showdown with Mexico. However, he attempted to hop onto it after the game before awkwardly stumbling over a video board on the sideline, and a camera captured the spill that led to Dan Burn frantically waving for a trainer.
Jordan Henderson with apparent injury during postgame celebrations pic.twitter.com/SbhovqKDAY
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 6, 2026
Henderson was taken off the field on a stretcher, and according to The Athletic, he was transported to a hospital in Mexico City where he remained as the rest of the team flew back to their World Cup base in Kansas City.
English manager Thomas Tuchel revealed Henderson suffered a wrist injury he described as “quite serious” after the match, and on Monday, we learned the 36-year-old midfielder will be out of commission for the rest of the tournament due to the surgery he will undergo to address the issue.
It’s obviously not an ideal development, but it should not have a major impact on England’s prospects going forward, as Henderson had not started a game during the World Cup and only appeared in their contest with Panama after being subbed in during the 84th minute.