MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico has spent 40 years chasing a return to the World Cup quarterfinals. On Sunday, their best chance in a generation arrives. Playing on home soil in a venue that has become an almost impregnable fortress, El Tri will face England in the round of 16—in what is arguably the most important match in Mexican football history.
Mexico boasts a legendary record in official matches at the Estadio Azteca. Since the historic venue opened
in 1966, the national team has suffered just two defeats in official matches there, with the last one coming over a decade ago against Honduras in September 2013.
“The stadium is a monster; that explains the high number of wins and draws, and the few losses—which were just accidents,” said Hugo Sánchez, the legendary striker who played in the 1986 World Cup and now serves as an ESPN analyst. “We approach this with optimism because we know it’s England, but if we play the way we did against Ecuador, we can beat them.”
The numbers back up the myth. Across the 1970, 1986, and current World Cups hosted on home soil, Mexico has played 10 matches at the Azteca, winning eight and drawing two. In this tournament alone, El Tri has secured three home wins without conceding a single goal: 2-0 against South Africa and 3-0 against Czech Republic in the group stage, and 2-0 against Ecuador in the round of 32. Mexico also defeated South Korea 1-0 in Guadalajara in the group stage.
It's the first time Mexico starts a World Cup by winning four consecutive matches.
These results have ignited the hopes of millions of Mexicans, many of whom weren’t even born the last time the nation reached the quarterfinals. After achieving that feat in 1986, Mexico’s World Cup history became a psychological hurdle: they missed the 1990 tournament, followed by seven consecutive, agonizing round of 16 exits before failing to escape the group stage in Qatar 2022.
“I’m one of those who couldn’t make it through; it happened to me in South Africa and Korea,” says Javier Aguirre, who managed El Tri during those campaigns. “It’s deeply painful because you play a great group stage, only to be knocked out for a variety of reasons.”
Mexico's eliminations comprise a catalog of heartbreaks including a penalty shootout loss to Bulgaria in 1994 when Aguirre was an assistant coach to Miguel Mejía Barón and defeats in 1998 and 2014 to Germany and the Netherlands where Mexico squandered late leads in the final minutes.
Now, the script could flip. At the Estadio Azteca—towering 7,300 feet (2,200 meters) above sea level—Mexico will rely heavily on the altitude and the backing of a ferocious home crowd, just as they did in the group stage.
“England is one of the great national teams in the history of football, with outstanding players. We all agreed that we wanted a match like this,” midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo said on Saturday. “We are in great form, the Azteca is an intimidating venue, and ultimately, it’s a World Cup round of 16 match. That’s never easy for anyone.”
England enters the knockout stage fresh off a 2-1 victory over Congo, powered by a brace from talismanic striker Harry Kane. Kane headlines an elite English squad that reached the quarterfinals at the last World Cup before falling to eventual finalists France.
A victory for the Three Lions would send them to the quarterfinals for the sixth time in their history—and the third consecutive time—keeping alive the dream of a title that has eluded them since 1966. On paper, England holds the clear advantage in raw talent, led by Premier League stars, whereas Mexico’s current spearhead is Julián Quiñones, the top scorer in the Saudi League.
However, the brutal playing conditions could serve as the ultimate equalizer.
England arrived in the northern part of Mexico City on Friday night, a mere two days before kickoff. Sports scientists and altitude experts generally recommend two options for high-altitude competition. Arrive weeks in advance for full acclimatization or fly in as close as possible to kickoff. By choosing a 48-hour window, England has entered the exact dead zone experts warn against.
To compound the strain, passionate Mexican fans are already plotting psychological warfare. Hundreds are expected to converge on England’s hotel to disrupt their sleep—a tactic deployed against Ecuador using loudspeakers, drums, and revving motorcycles into the early hours of the morning.
The English camp is attempting to remain unfazed.
“I’m sure we’ll have that all in order and try and get the best night’s sleep possible,” England striker Morgan Rogers said. “Of course they’re going to make it difficult, you wouldn’t expect anything different. But the fans are so passionate. That should be exciting for us, really. We’re looking forward to it.”
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AP Soccer Writer James Robson in Atlanta contributed to this report.
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