Thomas Tuchel’s England squad checked into their Mexico City hotel on Friday to a wall of noise — car horns, fireworks and a reception that made clear what awaits them at the Estadio Azteca. Ecuador, who played here in the last 32, were kept awake by similar disruption; Alan Shearer said he “would not be surprised at all if we find out later that there was some disruption for England the night before their game too, from an alarm going off at their hotel or something similar.”
But the former England captain, who will co-commentate alongside Guy Mowbray for BBC, is adamant that the players will not be fazed. “Instead of having any fear about the different tests they face, they will just be thinking ‘bring it on’,” Shearer wrote. “I know I would be.”
“Shearer: England won't fear Azteca; Tuchel's side face Mexico with Reece James injured and kick-off at 1am.”
The Three Lions can book their place in the World Cup quarter-finals tonight, but must overcome a hostile crowd — “as much as 80% of their fans” — in a stadium where England have not played since losing the 1986 quarter-final to Argentina. The altitude, the atmosphere and the iconic setting all add to the challenge. “These are the kind of games and moments you train and work so hard for all your life,” Shearer added. “It’s going to be an amazing spectacle as well as a unique test.”
England arrived in the United States with majority fan support for all four matches — against DR Congo in Atlanta, around 75% of the crowd were with England — but the Azteca will feel “very different”. Tuchel’s squad have also been dealt an injury blow: Reece James was the only player who failed to train on Saturday and remains a major doubt.
Confusion over the kick-off time added to the noise. FIFA had considered moving the game forward by six hours, a plan that was met with anger from both camps. “It was a silly idea because of the way it would have impacted the thousands of fans flying in from all over the world,” Shearer said. Common sense prevailed and the kick-off remains at 1am BST.
Weather could yet cause further disruption. A journalist at the Azteca reported 22 degrees and no lightning scheduled, but AccuWeather predicts storms from around 5pm local (kick-off time). If lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius, play will be automatically suspended for 30 minutes from the last strike. The Met Office currently forecasts rain from 6pm local.
Despite all this, Shearer is confident. “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.”