England face one of the most difficult settings in international football on Sunday night when they meet Mexico at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City for a place in the World Cup quarter-finals.
The atmosphere in the Mexican capital was already at a boil more than 24 hours before kickoff, according to BBC Sport. Giant screens lined the length of Paseo de la Reforma, and car horns sounded continuously along the historic avenue. Merchandise sellers and souvenir vendors were already outside the stadium on Saturday as thunder and lightning cracked overhead.
Mexico have not conceded a single goal in this World Cup and have lost only two competitive games in 88 played at the Azteca. England arrived in Mexico City on Friday evening, leaving them little time to prepare for the conditions.
The altitude alone presents a serious challenge. The Azteca stands 7,220 feet above sea level. England's previous matches in this tournament were played in the temperature-controlled stadiums of Dallas and Atlanta, and then in the rain of Boston and New Jersey. Nothing in that run prepared them for what awaits Sunday night.
England had hoped to keep their hotel location private after Mexico supporters had surrounded Ecuador's training base during the last round, using car horns, motorcycle engines, and loud hailers through the night. The tactic failed. Mexican fans found England's hotel and gathered outside, where a large security presence was in place.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel spoke at the Azteca on Saturday and appeared energized rather than rattled by the atmosphere building around the match. "We saw the excitement and the emotions of the people when we arrived. They were emotional but also very, very respectful," he said. "We felt the energy of the place right away, the people on the streets. You can feel the excitement. This is a next-level setting."
Tuchel added: "I felt straight away this would be a proper World Cup game. We are in an iconic place and an iconic stadium. It is just the biggest stage and we feel it."
He acknowledged the difficulty of what England faces. "Mexico will give us a taste of the intensity, the heat and we must find solutions to that," he said. "It will be emotional and full of support for the home team. We are at a stadium that can create an atmosphere to the advantage of the home team and create momentum and belief, but we have very experienced players."
The Azteca carries particular weight in English football memory. It was there that Diego Maradona's Hand of God goal ended England's 1986 World Cup campaign. History and altitude will both be working against the visitors when the match kicks off Sunday night.
