Mexico claimed their first World Cup knockout stage victory in four decades on Tuesday, defeating Ecuador 2-0 at a raucous Estadio Azteca to advance in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The result ends a painful 40-year stretch without a knockout-round win for El Tri, whose previous last-16 eliminations had become a defining — and frustrating — chapter of Mexican football history.

Playing in front of a passionate home crowd at the iconic Estadio Azteca, Mexico controlled the match and secured the clean sheet to book their place in the next round with a comfortable margin.