England manager Thomas Tuchel has challenged his players to embrace the occasion rather than the past as they prepare for a daunting World Cup last-16 meeting with hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca.
The stadium remains etched in English football history. It was there, during the 1986 World Cup, that Diego Maradona inspired Argentina to victory over England in a quarter-final remembered for both the controversial “Hand of God” goal and one of the greatest individual goals ever scored.
But Tuchel insisted Sunday’s contest is about the present, not history.
“This is painful. It still hurts, but we are not here for revenge,” the England manager said before the match. “It’s the same stadium. It’s not the same opponent. It doesn’t make sense. We are here to write our own chapters.”
England’s task will not be straightforward. Mexico, backed by a passionate home crowd, are chasing a place in the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since the 1986 tournament. The hosts have also impressed defensively, winning all four of their matches without conceding a goal.
Tuchel said the atmosphere inside the Azteca had already left an impression.
“It just catches you straight away once you get in here and see the excitement and the emotions,” he said. “I felt straight away that this will be a proper World Cup match. We are in an iconic place, an iconic stadium.”
England arrived in Mexico City a day earlier than usual to help players adjust to the city’s altitude, more than 2,200 metres above sea level. Tuchel acknowledged the conditions could shape the opening stages of the match.
“The players felt it in the first minutes of the training session. The longer it went, they could cope with it better,” he said. “I don’t think it is a coincidence Mexico starts their home matches very strongly. The opening 15 to 20 minutes will be the toughest.”
Veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson believes the occasion stands apart from anything he has experienced during his career, including Champions League finals.
“I don’t think this game compares with any game that I have been involved in,” Henderson said. “In the World Cup, in Mexico, against Mexico, I don’t think anything compares with that. That’s why everybody is excited for the challenge.”
England have also been forced into another defensive reshuffle after Tuchel confirmed Reece James is not fit enough to start because of a hamstring injury. Jarell Quansah, who previously filled in at right-back against Panama, is available again after recovering from an ankle problem, while Djed Spence is another option.
With a place in the quarter-finals at stake, England now face a test of both nerve and character against a confident Mexican side determined to make history on home soil.
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