England's World Cup players have been warned they will struggle to breathe properly when they face Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on Monday – a stadium where the atmospheric pressure is 23% lower than at sea level, meaning roughly 23% fewer oxygen molecules per breath. Professor Mike Tipton, of the Extreme Environments Laboratory at Portsmouth University, told the Mirror that the body cannot absorb oxygen as efficiently at 7,220 feet above sea level, so the heart beats faster to compensate. "This means heart and breathing rates are increased to try and make up for the lack of oxygen," he said. "Aerobic activity and performance are reduced by about 10% and recovery time and fatigue levels are increased by about 15%." Prof Tipton added that complex cognitive performance can also decrease, requiring "changes in game strategy and behaviour, including more substitutions and a slower-paced game". Mexico have won 70 out of 89 competitive matches at the Azteca, losing just two, and have not conceded a goal in this tournament so far. The "thinner" atmosphere means the ball travels further, and while short sprints could be faster due to reduced air resistance, players will need longer to recover between sprints. Dehydration remains a potential problem, Prof Tipton noted, though air temperature is cooler at altitude.
Meanwhile, the eastern United States is facing its own physical test: forecasters say the hottest World Cup match of the tournament could hit Saturday afternoon during the knockout round game between France and Paraguay in Philadelphia. The Independent reported that the extreme heat threatens players and fans alike, with temperatures expected to soar on 4 July. Earlier this week, French players were seen cooling off from field sprinklers during their round of 32 match against Sweden in East Rutherford, New Jersey, while Argentina's Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul splashed water on themselves during a training session in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In Detroit, fans used hand fans to keep cool at a watch party for the United States match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“England warned of oxygen shortage at high altitude ahead of Mexico clash while heat threatens other World Cup matches.”
Amid these punishing conditions, England's travelling supporters have found a new tradition to lift spirits: belting out Oasis's "Wonderwall" with the players after each of the men's team's three wins in the US. Liam Gallagher endorsed the singalongs on Wednesday with a message: "Cmon England cmon Wonderwall." His brother Noel, who wrote the song, told the Sun after the opening win in Dallas: "Wonderwall belongs to the people, and it was a magical moment between the people and the players." Captain Harry Kane called the first impromptu singalong one of his "favourite ever moments in an England shirt". Former teammate and BBC Sport pundit Joe Hart said such moments allow players to "drop the mask, just for a few minutes, of being an elite professional". The number two hit, from Oasis's 1995 album (What's the Story) Morning Glory, re-entered the UK singles chart last week after the initial viral moment. Author and broadcaster PJ Harrison, who released the biography Gallagher: The Rise and Fall of Oasis, told BBC News that the adoption of Wonderwall could not have been contrived. "You have the long lifespan of Wonderwall, then you have the renewed interest with the tour," he said. "And obviously, if you've got to put one song on from that tour, that fits."