Thomas Tuchel celebrates England’s victory over Democratic Republic of Congo (Image: Michael Reeves, Getty Images)
England were told on Wednesday how they should approach the World Cup last-16 final against co-hosts Mexico after narrowly avoiding a crushing defeat against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Thomas Tuchel’s side were forced to fight back from goal difference to beat their African opponents 2-1, with Brian Shipenga clinching victory with Harry Kane’s late goal after leaving the Atlanta crowd stunned into silence.
England’s comeback victory confirmed that they will face tournament co-host Mexico. Mexico has won all four games so far, joining France as the only country with a perfect record. However, Javier Aguirre’s side have a clear advantage in playing at home and it will not be a standard knockout fixture.
Mexico hosted three of the four 2026 World Cup matches at Azteca Stadium, which is located more than 7,000 feet above sea level. This necessitates competition at very high altitudes where the air is thin and the endurance and sprinting ability of players unaccustomed to such conditions will be severely impaired.
Former American international Brad Friedel, who made 450 Premier League appearances during his glittering career, admitted the environment made Mexico more dangerous, but downplayed the strength of England’s opponents.
“Mexico have very average players, very average players. I’ve been playing against them for years. They play at high altitude, so they look faster than everyone,” he said on the Netflix show “Rest is Football.” “They’re average or below average, but they’re very undefeated and the fans are into them. I don’t care if they play low block or high block, they’ll score. Just get through the first 15 minutes and they’ll win the game.”
Friedel warned Tuchel’s team not to repeat the same situation they faced against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they fell behind early on. The high altitude made any comeback even more difficult, with the 55-year-old American claiming his players would “die” before the first hydration break.
Brad Friedel offered England some advice. (Image: Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
“Just don’t concede the first goal. What they’re trying to do is suffocate you. They’ve created five chances in each game, but the players are dead after 20 minutes, because they’re fighting this uphill battle. But England are much better,” he added. “It would be a total shame if they were knocked out because of the altitude.”
The England team is based in Kansas City and is touring various venues. Reports suggest they will leave for Mexico City on Friday afternoon, but Tuchel has already admitted that preparing his players for matches at such high altitudes is difficult.
“I’ve just come back from this game and I’m trying to enjoy it, but it’s probably one of the most beautiful games and one of the more exciting games,” Tuchel said of England’s last-16 clash. “We will play Mexico in the Aztecs and there will be a lot of obstacles ahead of us.
Mexico’s Raul Jimenez celebrates (Image: Getty)
“Of course, it goes without saying that the altitude will be a big disadvantage, because you won’t be able to physically adapt in four days. It’s not possible, and there will probably be further obstacles coming. But we are ready for it, and perhaps we need it. We now have an ideal platform where we can find answers when the going gets tough, truly believing that we are ready for it.”
History has been in Mexico’s favor ahead of this much-anticipated finals matchup, having reached the quarter-finals in both previous World Cup hostings in 1970 and 1986. Mexico also boasts a remarkable record at the Azteca, losing just two of their last 70 games at the iconic venue.
The co-hosts were in the spotlight throughout the tournament, winning all three of their Group A matches against South Africa, South Korea and the Czech Republic, followed by an overwhelming 2-0 victory over Ecuador in the Round of 32, starting a last-16 showdown with England.
