Thomas Tuchel has warned his England side to expect the worst before Monday’s last-16 World Cup tie against Mexico — from traffic jams to altitude sickness and whatever else the hosts throw at them.
England face joint hosts Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium in a match that kicks off at 01:00 BST, live on BBC One. Speaking to ITV, Tuchel said: “I expect the worst, I’m prepared for the worst and let’s see. Let’s see what happens in traffic and the noise outside the stadium and how long we have to go through passport control. Whatever tricks they have up their sleeves, I expect the worst and I expect every trick. Just smile and focus on what we can influence and we’ll be fine.”
“Tuchel warns England to expect 'every trick' from Mexico in World Cup last-16 tie at Azteca.”
The Three Lions boss also referenced Diego Maradona’s infamous Hand of God goal at the same stadium in 1986, insisting his team want to “make peace” with the venue. “It was a very iconic goal against England but it was a clear handball. You have every right to be bitter but it doesn’t help to stay bitter. We are not out for revenge but we just want to make peace with the stadium.”
England reached the last 16 after a dramatic 2-1 win over DR Congo, with a peak audience of 16.3 million tuning in. The BBC is offering a special “Stay Up or Catch Up” deal for the Mexico match: live coverage on BBC One and iPlayer, hosted by Kelly Cates alongside Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart and Micah Richards. A full no-spoiler re-run will air on BBC Two from 07:10 BST, with highlights on iPlayer and YouTube.
Pubs in England and Wales have been granted permission to stay open until 05:00 for the game, and Tuchel has urged parents to let children stay up. “There’s so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch. There will be a big match in four days, and we need the support of everyone, especially the children.”
On the pitch, Tuchel confirmed Declan Rice will play in midfield rather than right-back, and suggested “we will get some players back” with Reece James and Jarell Quansha hoping to return. He acknowledged the altitude: “The altitude is a disadvantage but it is what it is. They are fully adapted. My expectation is we will suffer in the first 10 or 20 minutes and once we get through that we will be fine.”
Tuchel believes a win in Mexico City could rank among England’s greatest victories on foreign soil. “Yeah, it could be and we are going for that. I felt this before the tournament that if we reach the point where Mexico comes then this can really be the moment.”