Mexico vs England: FIFA World Cup last 16 – Kane, prediction and altitude

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Who: Mexico vs England
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 16
Where: Azteca Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico
When: Sunday, July 5, astatine 6pm (00:00 GMT connected Monday)
How to follow: We volition person each the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 21:00 GMT earlier our unrecorded substance commentary stream.

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It took 2 goals connected a stormy nighttime successful Mexico City to interruption a 40-year curse of a World Cup knockout triumph for Mexico. Shortly thereafter, much than a cardinal Mexicans thronged to the streets successful celebration, and the excitement level went up a notch further erstwhile it was announced that England would beryllium their adjacent hostile astatine the 2026 World Cup.

A blockbuster circular of 16 clash awaits the teams astatine the iconic Azteca Stadium, the fortress-like location of tourney cohosts Mexico, and the aforesaid venue that near England fans successful agony successful 1986 erstwhile Diego Maradona’s celebrated ‘Hand of God’ extremity eliminated The Three Lions from the tourney successful a contentious quarterfinal decision to Argentina.

Come Sunday, arsenic the 2 sides collide, truthful volition years of history.

Al Jazeera tells you everything astir Mexico vs England:

How did Mexico and England scope the circular of 16?

Mexico topped Group A with 9 points, maintaining a cleanable grounds arsenic they defeated South Africa, South Korea and Czechia. Then, El Tri won a World Cup knockout crippled for the first clip since 1986, beating Ecuador 2-0 successful the last-32.

England topped Group L with 7 points, winning against Croatia and Panama, and being held to a goalless gully by Ghana. They staged a late 2-1 comeback victory against the Democratic Republic of Congo to compression into the last-16.

England were astir 15 minutes distant from World Cup elimination until Harry Kane stepped up, scoring doubly to rescue them from the jaws of decision against DR Congo successful the circular of 32 [Bernadett Szabo/Reuters]

‘Proper World Cup match’: Altitude and Azteca successful focus

The situation of playing successful precocious altitude, hazard of adverse upwind and scheduling issues – the build-up to Mexico vs England has been eventful, to accidental the least.

Much of the absorption has been connected however the transportation astatine the Azteca – sitting 2,240 metres (7,350 feet) supra oversea level – could instrumentality English players’ enactment away, rather literally.

The shot could question faster and farther, the players could consciousness moments of breathlessness, and determination is besides the small substance of a raucous Mexican crowd, which knows a happening oregon 2 astir creating an adversarial atmosphere.

Despite the location squad advantages, England are relishing the accidental to play astatine the Azteca, the venue of the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals. Forty years later, the venue remains ever contiguous successful the minds of respective generations of England shot fans owed to Maradona’s superb – albeit highly arguable – show against The Three Lions successful Mexico City.

Diego Maradona of Argentina handles the shot past Peter Shilton of England to people the opening extremity – often referred to arsenic the ‘Hand of God’ extremity – successful the World Cup quarterfinal astatine the Azteca Stadium successful Mexico City, Mexico connected 22 June 1986. Argentina won the quarterfinal 2-1 [Bongarts/Getty Images]

“I felt consecutive distant that this volition beryllium a due World Cup lucifer for tomorrow,” England manager Thomas Tuchel said successful Saturday’s pre-match quality conference.

“We knew it before. We are successful an iconic place, an iconic stadium. It conscionable catches you consecutive distant erstwhile you get successful present and spot the excitement and spot the emotions.”

England entered the World Cup with dreams of ending the country’s 60-year hold for a large title. But aft 4 games, it’s harmless to accidental the English person failed to unrecorded up to their Number 4 FIFA satellite ranking, struggling done the radical signifier earlier needing a precocious occurrence successful their elimination necktie against DR Congo.

For each the buzz astir the factors distant from the pitch, what could yet determine the teams’ destiny would beryllium the enactment connected the tract – a contention of “11 vs 11”. That’s what Mexico manager Javier Aguirre believes.

“They [England] person large players who play some wrong and extracurricular the country,” said Aguirre, whose broadside is aiming for its archetypal quarterfinal quality successful 40 years.

“They’re beauteous powerful, physically speaking, and they’re large players.”

England manager Thomas Tuchel during a quality league connected Saturday [Henry Romero/Reuters]

Mexico vs England prediction

The Opta supercomputer gives England a 40.6 percent likelihood of winning successful regularisation time, portion Mexico is astatine 31.5 percent.

The exemplary estimates a 27.9 percent probability of the crippled going to other clip and perchance penalties.

What clip is Mexico vs England?

• Mexico: TUDN, Canal 9, Canal 5, Las Estrellas, TV AZTECA, Vix (6pm, Central Standard Time)
• United Kingdom: BBC One, BBC iPlayer (1am connected Monday, British Summer Time)
• USA: FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock (7pm, Eastern Daylight Time)

To cheque the TV listings for your country, caput to FIFA’s TV listing docket here.

Mexico fans observe their team’s accomplishment of breaking a 40-year curse with a World Cup knockout triumph [Luis Cortes/Reuters]

Who volition the victor look successful the quarterfinals?

The victor of the Mexico vs England lucifer volition look either Brazil oregon Norway successful the quarterfinals successful Miami connected Saturday, July 11.

Mexico vs England: Head-to-head

This last-16 clash marks lone the 2nd clip England and Mexico person met successful a World Cup contest.

Their archetypal gathering dates backmost to the 1966 World Cup, erstwhile England bushed Mexico 2-0 successful a radical crippled en way to their lone satellite rubric to date.

England person won 4 consecutive games against Mexico – each of which were friendlies – betwixt 1986 and 2010.

Azteca Stadium, the venue of the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals, volition big Mexico vs England successful Sunday’s last-16 blockbuster necktie [File: Luis Cortes/Reuters]

Mexico vs England: Team news

England defenders Jarrell Quansah (ankle) and Reece James (hamstring) are retired with injuries.
No wounded concerns reported successful the Mexico camp.

Mexico’s predicted lineup

(4-3-3): Rangel (goalkeeper); Sanchez, Montes, Vasquez, Gallardo; Mora, Lira, Romo; Alvardo, Jimenez, Quinones

England’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Pickford (goalkeeper); Spence, Konsa, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane

Mexico guardant Julian Quinones is their starring scorer astatine the 2026 World Cup with 3 goals [Yuri Cortez/AFP]