Thomas Tuchel’s England side must conquer the raucous Azteca Stadium and more than 2,000m of altitude on Monday morning if they are to reach the World Cup quarter-finals. The last-16 showdown against Mexico at the iconic venue presents arguably their toughest assignment of the tournament so far — a test that BBC Sport pundits Thomas Hitzlsperger, Joe Hart and Micah Richards believe could bring out the best of this England team.
Victory would send the Three Lions to Miami Stadium in Florida for a quarter-final on July 11, kicking off at 10pm UK time. Their opponent will be either Brazil or Norway, who meet on Sunday at 9pm BST. Brazil, five-time world champions, are historic favourites, but Norway — led by Manchester City’s Erling Haaland up front — have impressed during the tournament and look capable of causing a major upset.
“England face Mexico at high-altitude Azteca on Monday; winners meet Brazil or Norway in quarter-finals.”
Should England navigate that hurdle, a blockbuster semi-final tie against Argentina could be on the cards, according to the Mirror. But first they must defy a Mexico side buoyed by a famously impressive home record at the Azteca, where the hosts hold a fearsome advantage. The altitude and hostile atmosphere will test Tuchel’s tactical acumen and his players’ resolve.
England’s preparation has been overshadowed by questions over who would step up in a potential penalty shootout, but the focus now is purely on the immediate challenge. The Mirror describes this as a “daunting hurdle” for the Three Lions, who will need to produce what could be their most impressive World Cup win of the century to progress.