MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico I have spent 40 years pursuing a return to world cup Quarterfinals. Their best chance in a generation arrives on Sunday. Playing in what has become an almost impregnable fortress, El Tri will face England in the round of 16, perhaps the most important game in Mexican football history.
Mexico boasts a legendary record in official matches. Estadio Azteca. Since this historic venue opened in 1966, the national team has only lost twice in official competition here, the last time being over a decade ago against Honduras in September 2013.
“The stadium is a monster. That’s why we had so many wins and draws and so few losses. It was just a coincidence,” said Hugo Sanchez, a legendary striker who played in the 1986 World Cup and is now an analyst for ESPN. “We are optimistic going into this game because we know we are playing against England, but if we play like we played against Ecuador we will win.”
The numbers support that myth. In 1970, 1986 and the current World Cup on home soil, Mexico played 10 games with the Aztecs, winning eight and drawing two. In this tournament alone, El Tri has won three games without conceding a goal at home. In the group stage they won 2-0 against South Africa, 3-0 against the Czech Republic and 2-0 against Ecuador in the round of 32. In the group stage, Mexico defeated South Korea 1-0 in Guadalajara.
This is the first time Mexico has opened a World Cup with four consecutive wins.
break the curse
These results ignited the hopes of millions of Mexicans, many of whom were not yet born the last time Mexico reached the quarterfinals. After achieving that feat in 1986, Mexico’s World Cup history became a psychological hurdle. Mexico missed the 1990 tournament, suffered a tough round of 16 exit for seven consecutive years, and failed to advance to the group stage at the 2022 Qatar tournament.
“I was one of the players who didn’t make it. The same thing happened in South Africa and South Korea,” says Javier Aguirre, El Tri’s manager during those campaigns. “It’s very difficult to play well in the group stage and then be eliminated for various reasons.”
Mexico’s catalog of heartbreaking defeats includes a shootout loss to Bulgaria in 1994, when Aguirre was an assistant coach to Miguel Mejía Baron, and late leads against Germany and the Netherlands in 1998 and 2014.
Now, the script could be flipped. With Estadio Azteca towering 7,300 feet (2,200 meters) above sea level, Mexico will rely heavily on its height and the support of an enthusiastic home crowd, just as 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 game like this,” midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo said on Saturday. “We are in great shape. Azteca is a scary venue and at the end of the day it’s a World Cup round of 16 match, which is never easy for anyone.”
Challenge to English
England advance to the finals 2-1 victory over Congopowered by a brace from talismanic striker Harry Kane. Kane headlined England’s elite side that reached the quarter-finals of the last World Cup but were ultimately eliminated by finalists France.
If the Three Lions win, they will advance to the quarter-finals for the sixth time in their history and third consecutive time, keeping alive their dream of a title that has eluded them since 1966. On paper, England have a clear advantage in terms of raw talent, especially their Premier League stars, but Mexico’s current spearhead is Saudi League top scorer Julián Quiñones.
But a harsh playing environment can act as the ultimate equalizer.
The England squad arrived north of Mexico City on Friday night, just two days before kick-off. Sports scientists and altitude experts typically recommend two options for high altitude competition. Arrive a few weeks in advance to fully acclimate, or fly in as close to kickoff as possible. By choosing the 48-hour window, England have entered exactly the dead zone that experts have warned about.
To further exacerbate tensions, die-hard Mexican fans are already planning psychological warfare. Hundreds of people gather in England hotel, likely to disrupt sleep – it’s a plan deployed against Ecuador They used loudspeakers and drums, and revved their bikes until the early hours of the morning.
England’s camp is trying not to budge.
England striker Morgan Rodgers said: “I’m sure we’ll try to get everything in order and get the best sleep possible.” “Of course they’re going to make it difficult. You can’t expect anything different. But the fans are so passionate. It should be really exciting for us. 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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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
