England are preparing themselves for a once-in-a-generation World Cup clash with Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca.
The stadium has become a fortress for the Mexican national team, whose record at the mythical Azteca is one of the most formidable in football.
Should Thomas Tuchel’s men achieve the seemingly impossible and emerge victorious in the early hours of Monday morning, they will need to overcome 88,000 raucous Mexicans – as well as an altitude of 7,220ft.
This gives Mexico, who have acclimatised to playing in such thin air, a distinct advantage as they look to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the very first time in their history.
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The altitude, and all the impacts it has on player performance, is one of the many reasons why playing Mexico in the Azteca is one of the most daunting challenges in the whole of sport.
Mexico’s staggering record
Mexico’s record at the Azteca could scarcely be any better.
El Tri have played 89 competitive games at the stadium over the last 60 years and have won 79 of them, drawing 17 and only losing twice.
The last time Mexico tasted defeat in a competitive game at the Azteca was in 2013, when Honduras came from behind to win 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier.
In the 13 years since, Mexico are unbeaten in 26 competitive matches. In the 2020s alone, they have scored 23 goals and have only conceded four.
Their other defeat at the Azteca was another 2-1 loss back in 2001, with Costa Rica overturning a 1-0 deficit by scoring twice in the final 18 minutes of the game.
Mexico’s record in World Cup matches at the stadium is particularly strong having gone unbeaten in all 10 games played there – keeping eight clean sheets in the process.
This includes the three matches played in Mexico City during this tournament, where they have notched up wins over South Africa (2-0), Czechia (3-0) and Ecuador (2-0).
Mexico’s all-time record at the Azteca, with friendlies included, stands at 95 wins from around 145 games (records vary slightly here), with 38 draws and just 12 defeats.
While Mexico’s record at the ground is undeniably impressive, it must be noted that the level of their opposition has, at times, been modest.
A significant percentage of their fixtures at the Azteca have been against North, Central American and Caribbean opponents, including the likes of El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica and Haiti.
Mexico’s recent friendly against Portugal, who are of a similar level to England, finished 0-0 back in March.
Etched into football history
The Azteca is the only stadium in the world to have played host to matches at three different World Cups, having been the venue for games at the 1970, 1986 and now the 2026 tournament.
It is also the only stadium to have staged more than one World Cup final. Brazil triumphed 4-1 over Italy in 1970, while Argentina edged out West Germany 3-2 in 1986.
The 1986 edition has become synonymous with Three Lions fans for the infamous ‘Hand of God’ moment, when Diego Maradona helped nudge a looping ball past the oncoming Peter Shilton to give Argentina a 1-0 lead against an incandescent England in their quarter-final clash at the Azteca.
While Maradona’s first goal against England has a place in infamy, his second showcased the full extent of his mercurial talent.
Dubbed the ‘Goal of the Century,’ Maradona picked the ball up in his own half and carried it 50 yards up the pitch before effortlessly rounding Shilton to double Argentina’s lead.
Gary Lineker halved the deficit ten minutes before full-time but the damage at the Azteca had long since been done that afternoon.
The agonising defeat to the South Americans, which remains the last time England have played at the Azteca, is one of six games England have contested at the venue.
While they have never beaten Mexico at their home, having lost one and drawn one, they have indeed won there before courtesy of 3-0 wins over West Germany and Paraguay in 1985 and 1986 respectively.
Their other game was a defeat to Italy in a preparatory World Cup tournament in 1985.
Renovation work
Originally constructed in 1966, the stadium has undergone multiple periods of renovation over the years.
The most recent is the one which took place over the past two years, with the aim of getting the Azteca ready for this tournament.
An additional 4,500 seats were added, along with new video screens, the installation of a new hybrid turf pitch and general improvements to the stadium facade.
The existing sun-drenched seats were also replaced and the changing room and tunnel areas were refurbished for the players.
The revamp has drawn widespread praise from fans and critics alike, who have complimented the renovation team for maintaining the historical look and feel of the Azteca.