Heavy challenge: Estadio Azteca brings altitude, atmosphere and history to clash with Mexico
The England team faces a huge challenge as they prepare to play Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium in a World Cup knockout game, with the altitude and historical importance adding to the pressure.
England travel to Mexico City for a World Cup round of 16 game that brings a series of challenges. The Azteca Stadium, known for its intimidation, will be the venue for the clash. This Sunday, Mexico, which has not yet lost in the competition, will try to use the advantage of playing at home and the city's altitude to end England's journey to the World Cup. Located at an altitude of 2,240 meters, the stadium with a capacity for 87,523 fans has a mythical aura among football fans.
The England team arrived on Friday, just two days before the match, hoping to adapt to the thin air, a hostile crowd and an opponent who has yet to concede a World Cup goal. The Azteca is also a place full of English football stories, being the stage where Diego Maradona scored the famous handball goal and the iconic "Goal of the Century" in 1986, an event that is etched in the memories of English fans.
Since that World Cup, England have not played at the Azteca, having beaten Paraguay 3-0 in the round of 16 before the classic against Argentina. English coach Thomas Tuchel recalls how he watched that World Cup at the age of 12 in Germany, even though he had no connection with English football at the time. "It was a remarkable moment. The memory of the two goals against England is undeniable," said Tuchel.
The return to Azteca has been planned by England since the World Cup calendar was released. For Tuchel, winning Group L was the minimum acceptable, and the reward for that is a clash with the co-hosts. "It will reward us. Akarma will return to us. We will reverse this," he said, with a mischievous smile.
Tuchel is experienced and knows that he cannot let himself be carried away by questions of destiny and karma in football. His interviews have been charismatic, and English fans are having a good time under his management. Preparing for Sunday's challenge will require adapting to the environment, as altitude may affect physical performance and ball control.
The English team changed their travel plans, arriving in Mexico City a day earlier than usual, seeking to better adapt to the location. Under FIFA rules, teams must be in the host city at least one day before the game, but can arrive earlier if they wish. The English Football Association believes this extra time could be useful in meeting the unique challenge of the stadium, which is in the moderate altitude category.
Tuchel admitted there is no perfect solution. "We're going a day earlier. It makes sense. The ball will fly differently here. We need the experience," he explained. Sports science suggests that the ideal is to arrive 10 days early to acclimatize or as close to the match as possible to minimize the effects of altitude.
The challenge goes beyond altitude; Mexico has been perfect in the World Cup so far, with four wins, eight goals scored and none conceded. Tricolor also has an impeccable record at Azteca, with 70 wins in 89 matches, 17 draws and just two defeats.
The disadvantage mentioned by Tuchel is supported by studies that show that, in matches at similar altitudes, the home team wins around 53% of the time.As the altitude difference increases, this advantage intensifies, with teams at higher altitudes winning up to 82.5% in extreme cases.
Despite this big advantage, the odds for the game are well balanced. England are considered favorites to advance to the quarter-finals, while Mexico are seen as the underdogs. England's preparation for the World Cup has focused on adapting to the heat rather than the altitude, and the team has yet to face adverse weather conditions in active competition.
Sunday will change that. Tuchel's ability as a reactive and intuitive coach could be crucial in this challenge. With injury concerns at right back, a switch to a 3-4-3 formation could be considered to suit the game. The match will certainly be a moment that English fans will remember for a long time, as a game that could go down in football history.
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