A jittery and unmistakably imperfect England face their sternest test in the FIFA World Cup yet as they travel to meet Mexico in the Round of 16 at the Estadio Azteca, where the hosts have lost only twice in 56 years and 89 games. It’s moot that England would need all their best players as fit as possible to overcome Mexico and their passionate fans and proceed to the Quarter-Finals.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel said Reece James is closing in on a return but remains a doubt for Sunday’s encounter, with the full-back still working his way back from the hamstring injury that has kept him out of England’s last two matches.
“Reece can maybe make it on the bench, but we need a last assessment from the doctors and a medical opinion,” Tuchel said.
England’s
other point of concern is talismanic midfielder Declan Rice, who played through discomfort in the 2-1 win over DR Congo in the round of 32 before being withdrawn in stoppage time. The Arsenal star has been managing nerve pain in his hamstring and lower back since the turn of the year but has been passed fit to continue for the tie against Mexico.
“I asked him very late and he said, ‘I can do it for the team, but I am in terrible pain’,” Tuchel said. “He just said after the game it’s not an issue, he will recover, so there is no injury. He was just in pain, so I hope he is right. It’s more nerval pain.”
Mexico, meanwhile, arrive at the last-16 tie unbeaten and yet to concede a goal at the 2026 World Cup, a run that continued with a 2-0 win over Ecuador in the round of 32 and leaves them unbeaten in their last 10 World Cup matches at Estadio Azteca.
Julian Quinones, who has scored three goals and set up another so far in the tournament, and Raul Jimenez lead the host nation’s attack, while 17-year-old Gilberto Mora could again be preferred to the more experienced Brian Gutierrez in midfield. Head coach Javier Aguirre said he believes Mexico can match England on the night.
“If I didn’t believe that we could beat England, I would tell you, as a matter of fact,” Aguirre said. “I firmly believe in how we play. I believe that we are at par, and the team that makes fewer mistakes is going to win.”
Mexico Vs England Predicted XIs
Mexico: Raúl Rangel; Jorge Sánchez, César Montes, Johan Vásquez, Jesús Gallardo; Erik Lira, Luis Romo, Gilberto Mora; Roberto Alvarado, Raúl Jiménez, Julián Quiñones.
England: Jordan Pickford; Djed Spence, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guéhi, Nico O’Reilly; Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson; Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon; Harry Kane.
