England’s team will face significant hurdles when competing against co-host Mexico at the World Cup on Sunday. The match will take place at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, which sits at over 7,300 feet (2,200 meters) above sea level. This elevation brings challenges similar to those encountered during the 1986 World Cup, where Diego Maradona’s memorable ‘Hand of God’ goal was scored.
The high altitude offers a considerable home advantage for Mexico, which has not faced defeat in 10 World Cup matches held at this stadium during three tournaments. England coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledges the difficulty of adapting to such conditions in a short timeframe. He states, “My understanding is that we cannot adapt to the altitude. That is just a huge advantage that Mexico will have.”
Elite athletes typically need ample time to adjust to high altitudes to mitigate fatigue due to lower atmospheric pressure and reduced oxygen levels. Experts suggest two primary strategies for adaptation: a prolonged acclimation period of at least two weeks or the ‘fly-in, fly-out’ approach which involves arriving just before match time to avoid acute symptoms.
England prepared for the tournament with a training camp in Florida to adapt to high temperatures before departing from Kansas City to Mexico, scheduled for Friday. Despite the challenges posed by altitude, Tuchel plans to use the much-discussed hydration breaks to his advantage. In a previous game against Congo, Tuchel leveraged these breaks to regain momentum, resulting in a 2-1 comeback victory.
The Azteca Stadium is a place of bitter memories for England. The team’s quarterfinal exit in 1986 involved two iconic moments from Maradona: his infamous hand-scored goal and another considered one of the best in tournament history, where he bypassed multiple England players before netting the ball.
Tuchel expresses optimism for Sunday’s match, believing the outcome will favor England in a reversal of past events. “We will get it back. It’s karma,” he said. “Karma will come back for us. We will turn it around.”