Fan reveals ‘Fortress Azteca’ theory before England’s World Cup game against Mexico
A quick peek at Mexico’s record at Estadio Azteca might make you think England will have a tough time beating the World Cup co-hosts, but is the stadium really as tough as everyone says?
England will face Mexico in the round of 16 on Sunday evening after Thomas Tuchel’s team came from behind to beat DR Congo. This will probably be their hardest match yet, going up against a team that’s won all four of their games this summer, scoring eight goals and not letting in any.
Mexico also has the home advantage, playing at the huge Azteca Stadium, which holds 87,523 fans and sits over 7,000 feet above sea level. To put that in perspective, that’s about one and a half times higher than Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in the UK. That high altitude could be a real challenge for England.
Javier Aguirre’s team has done really well at the Azteca. The last time they lost there was back in September 2013, when Honduras beat them 2-1. Since then, Mexico has gone 26 games without losing at home. Looking further back, they’ve only lost two important matches there in 57 years. So those stats might look scary for England, but some people aren’t fully convinced.
If you check the graphic below, you’ll see that since 2013, Mexico has mostly played teams like Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica, Scotland, Jamaica, and Guatemala. While impressive, Portugal is the only top-10 ranked team they’ve faced in over a decade—and that game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Before Sunday’s match, former England star Paul Merson shared his thoughts. He’s not sure if Tuchel’s team can get through. “They’re still in it,” he said. “My biggest worry is playing in Mexico at altitude. It’s such a tough game. Talent-wise, I don’t think Mexico has a player who’d make England’s team, but with their style, the fans, and the altitude, this will be a very hard match. It could go either way. I wouldn’t be shocked if we don’t win. If it was anywhere else, I’d expect us to win, but in Mexico, it’s a tough game.”