England’s World Cup dreams are under serious threat from destructive Mexican supporters.
Coach Thomas Tuchel’s star players are having sleepless nights ahead of the decisive clash with Mexico. England will face the co-hosts in the last 16 clash at the Azteca Stadium.
The Three Lions booked their place in the Round of 16 after a nervy win over the Democratic Republic of the Congo that put them on a collision course with Mexico.
And thousands of Mexican supporters have gathered outside the England team’s hotel, planning to give the team a night of hell. This will see them use loudspeakers, cars, music, motorbikes and horns to disrupt the England team’s sleep.
The ambush would pose a logistical nightmare for England and the Football Association. England wants the arrival in Mexico City to be delayed to reduce the impact of its high altitude.
England are also keen to keep the identity of their team hotel secret. However, according to FIFA tournament regulations, teams must arrive in the city where the match will be held within 24 hours of kick-off (Sunday 8pm local time).
Local police will be stationed at the team’s home base, but the attention from Mexican fans is inevitable.
Ecuador faced the same problem ahead of their last 32 match against Mexico in Mexico City this week. The Ecuadorian team was up from midnight until early morning as there was a large gathering outside the hotel.
Mexico won this match 2-0, setting up a seismic shift against the Three Lions. In Mexico, it is a big tradition to keep rival teams awake the night before a game.
Mexican fans gathered outside an Ecuadorian hotel before the last 32 games
The ambush is now being used as a polarizing weapon aimed at weakening rival teams ahead of a big match against Mexico.
Following the incident in Mexico City, the Ecuadorian Football Federation filed a complaint with FIFA, saying FIFA does not uphold the principles of fair play and equality that are paramount to the World Cup.
A trip to Aztec Stadium can be a daunting journey. Mexico has won four out of four games so far, but has yet to concede a goal.
Julian Quiñones, who scored two goals, said after the win against Ecuador: “You can stand out as an individual, but it’s only possible with a great team performance. That’s our mindset. We have to keep fighting.”
“That’s how life is. You fight, fight, fight until you get what you want. Thank you to everyone who supported us and believed in us.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
