Mexico Players Tell England They’ll Make Azteca World Cup Clash Best Game of Lives

Mexico players told England ahead of Sunday’s World Cup round of 16 match at the Azteca Stadium that they are ready to "make it the best game" of their lives, with Álvaro Fidalgo saying, "I think England knows it's going to be a difficult match for them."

“Minutes after England survived a World Cup scare against DR Congo to squeeze into the round of 16, the focus shifted to what’s next for the Three Lions”

Al Jazeera

Fidalgo pointed to the Azteca’s altitude, noting the stadium stands at 2,200 metres (7,220 feet) above sea level, and he said, "Whether it's an advantage or not, we'll see in the opening minutes tomorrow."

Al Jazeera

Mexico’s record at the venue is described as having them lose just two of 89 matches played there, with the defeats coming in 2001 to Costa Rica and in 2013 to Honduras.

Raúl Jiménez said Mexico are united as they chase history, adding, "It's always important. It's not just because it's England, it's because it's the World Cup."

England midfielder Declan Rice said, "For us, we don't care where we play," as the match is framed as a test of altitude and hostility at Estadio Azteca.

FIFA backtracked on a proposal to move the England vs Mexico kickoff from 6pm local time to midday after anger from the English and Mexican FAs, and The Independent said the match will kick off as scheduled at 6pm local time on Sunday.

The BBC forecast cited by The Independent put temperatures around 17C with a 59% chance of rain, with that percentage increasing to 71% by 7pm and a potential thunderstorm impacting the match and producing a risk of flooding around the Azteca stadium.

BBC

Under tournament safety rules described by The Independent, any lightning strikes detected within eight miles of the stadium result in an automatic 30-minute delay to play, with the countdown resetting when another lightning strike happens.

Al Jazeera said the match will kick off at 6pm on Sunday in Mexico City, and it explained that FIFA decided to stick with the scheduled time because moving the kickoff would have meant delaying Brazil vs Norway on the same day in New York/New Jersey.

Thomas Tuchel said, "The recommendation is you either go 10 days before – which is too long for us – or last minute, which is not allowed [by Fifa]," as England face the altitude and the weather risk.

England captain Harry Kane said Mexico is going to be special for the atmosphere, the fans, and the stadium itself, and he framed the match as a chance to "write their own history" in the Azteca Stadium.

“On paper, England ought to be prohibitive favorites for their round of 16 tie against Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on Sunday evening”

CBS Sports

Kane recalled the 1986 context of Diego Maradona’s Hand of God, and he said, "It’s about writing our own history, we know we have the chance to do something really special in a special stadium away from home."

The BBC’s Shearer said he does not think the players will be worried about the difficult conditions, arguing, "All the talk stops when they run out anyway, and if they play the game rather than the occasion then I think they will win."

Shearer also described the crowd challenge, saying the co-hosts Mexico could have "as much as 80% of their fans," and he linked that to the prize of a place in the quarter-finals.

With the match set as England’s round of 16 test at the Azteca, the stakes are framed as a return to a venue where England last lost in 1986, and the BBC said the place in the quarter-finals is "the prize" for a game Shearer called an "amazing spectacle."