Mexico vs. England: Why El Tri's Estadio Azteca unbeaten record is a myth Three Lions must not fear in World Cup round of 16

England are acceptable to instrumentality connected World Cup 2026 co-hosts Mexico successful the circular of 16 during the aboriginal hours of Monday morning, and fans person been fearing the worst aft learning the fable of Estadio Azteca.

However, portion El Tri's grounds astatine this summer's tourney has been commendable, 1 of the astir frightening facts astir the crushed is built connected a myth.

Javier Aguirre's broadside are unbeaten successful 26 matches astatine the Azteca, a tally that goes each the mode backmost to a 2-1 decision successful September 2013 against Honduras successful a World Cup qualifier.

That streak of results sounds exceptional connected paper, but the world is that Thomas Tuchel's England volition beryllium by acold the strongest hostile that Mexico person faced astatine their location stadium successful the 13 years since their past defeat.

Here, Sports Mole busts the story astir Mexico's 26-game unbeaten grounds astatine Estadio Azteca up of their round of 16 showdown with England.

Which teams person Mexico played astatine Estadio Azteca since their past defeat?

Since their nonaccomplishment against Ecuador successful 2013, Mexico person locked horns with Panama and Honduras 4 times each, the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica and El Salvador doubly apiece, arsenic good arsenic New Zealand, Israel, Scotland, Guatemala and Portugal astatine Estadio Azteca.

El Tri besides faced South Africa and Czech Republic astatine the crushed successful the World Cup radical signifier this summer, and Ecuador successful the circular of 32.

The famed 26-match unbeaten streak see 19 wins and 7 draws, with the stalemates mostly coming against the stronger opponents crossed that agelong - doubly with the USA, erstwhile with Canada and a 0-0 with Portugal accompanying draws with Costa Rica, Honduras and Jamaica.

With that successful mind, England volition correspond the toughest federation that Mexico person welcomed to the Azteca since Brazil visited successful the 2003 variation of the Gold Cup.

Mexico's Estadio Azteca unbeaten grounds ranked by fixture difficulty

26. Mexico 3-0 Guatemala (Sep 30, 2020) | Friendly

Hovering astir 100th successful the FIFA rankings, Guatemala travelled to the Azteca for a affable successful September 2020, a crippled that was settled successful the archetypal fractional acknowledgment to goals from Mexico's Henry Marton, Orbelin Pineda and Sebastian Cordova.

25. Mexico 3-0 Israel (May 28, 2014) | Friendly

Under the guidance of manager Miguel Herrera, El Tri were capable to get the amended of Israel successful a May 2014 affable courtesy of a brace from Miguel Layun and a precocious sealer by Marco Fabian.

24. Mexico 1-0 Scotland (Jun 3, 2018) | Friendly

A onslaught from Giovanni dos Santos was capable for Mexico to bushed Scotland successful this warmup affable up of the 2018 World Cup, wherever they went retired successful the circular of 16.

23. Mexico 3-0 v El Salvador (Nov 13, 2015) | 2018 WCQ 4th Round

On their mode to qualifying for World Cup 2018, caput manager Juan Carlos Osorio oversaw a 3-0 triumph against El Salvador, during which Andres Guardado acceptable the code with a seventh-minute opener, earlier Hector Herrera and Carlos Vela took the crippled distant from La Selecta.

22. Mexico 2-0 v El Salvador (Mar 30, 2022) | 2022 WCQ

Another triumph implicit El Salvador helped Mexico en way to the Qatar World Cup.

In their March 2022 meeting, Uriel Antuna opened the scoring aboriginal erstwhile again, and striker Raul Jimenez netted a punishment to settee the contention precocious successful the archetypal half.

21. Mexico 2-1 v Panama (Oct 11, 2013) | 2014 WCQ

An tremendous assemblage of much than 90,000 fans watched connected arsenic Mexico earned a hard-fought World Cup qualifying triumph implicit Panama successful October 2013.

El Tri led for much than 40 minutes aft Oribe Peralta broke the deadlock, but Luis Tejada's equaliser acceptable up a tense decorativeness that Jimenez unopen down with an 87th-minute winner.

20. Mexico 1-0 Panama (Sep 1, 2017) | 2018 WCQ

Mexico bolstered their 2018 World Cup qualifying run connected a elemental evening that saw winger Hirving Lozano people the lone extremity successful a 1-0 triumph implicit Panama.

19. Mexico 3-1 Panama (Oct 15, 2019) | 2019-20 Nations League

The Canal Men headed to Estadio Azteca erstwhile again successful October 2019 for a Nations League A Group B clash.

With the people level astatine 1-1, a precocious propulsion from Mexico led to Jose Macias hitting the backmost of the nett and Rodolfo Pizarro finishing the crippled disconnected with a 90th-minute 3rd successful a 3-1 triumph.

18. Mexico 1-0 Panama (Feb 2, 2022) | 2022 WCQ

A adjacent World Cup qualifier played retired successful February 2022, though Jimenez was connected manus to person an 80th-minute punishment and unafraid the win.

17. Mexico 3-0 Honduras (Jun 8, 2017) | 2018 WCQ

Honduras headed to the Azteca successful June 2017 for a World Cup qualifier, and were comprehensively beaten 3-0 acknowledgment to first-half extremity from Oswaldo Alanis and 2 successful 3 second-half minutes via Lozano and Jimenez.

16. Mexico 3-0 Honduras (Oct 10, 2021) | 2022 WCQ

Gerardo Martino's Mexico repeated the 3-0 effect 4 years aboriginal successful their qualifying run for the 2022 World Cup, Lozano connected the scoresheet erstwhile again aft earlier efforts from Cordova and Rogelio Funes Mori.

15. Mexico 2-2 Jamaica (Mar 26, 2023) | 2022-23 Nations League

Under the guidance of then-manager Heimir Hallgrimsson - the existent Republic of Ireland brag - Jamaica made a imagination commencement as Bobby Decordova-Reid scored with conscionable 7 minutes connected the clock.

Orbelin Pineda levelled the crippled 10 minutes later, and an ain extremity from Edson Alvarez enactment the Caribbean broadside backmost successful front, earlier a Lozano punishment ended a melodramatic archetypal fractional 2-2.

14. Mexico 2-1 Jamaica (Sep 2, 2021) | 2022 WCQ

Played down closed doors, this World Cup qualifier saw Mexico pushed hard by Jamaica, though Shamar Nicholson's equaliser was rendered a specified consolation erstwhile Henry Martin recovered an 89th-minute winner.

13. Mexico 0-0 Honduras (Sep 6, 2016) | 2018 WCQ 4th Round

In September 2016, Osorio's Mexico were frustrated by Honduras, who produced a spirited show to clasp his broadside to a goalless gully astatine the Azteca.

12. Mexico 2-0 Honduras (Nov 21, 2023) | Nations League QF (2nd leg)

Honduras had a 2-0 pb from the archetypal limb of this Nations League quarter-final, and though Luis Chavez got 1 backmost for Mexico successful the opening half, it seemed that El Tri would beryllium eliminated.

However, skipper Edson Alvarez scored an equaliser successful the 11th infinitesimal of second-half stoppage time, earlier the hosts went connected to triumph 4-2 connected penalties successful a melodramatic nighttime astatine Estadio Azteca.

11. Mexico 2-0 Costa Rica (Mar 24, 2017) | 2018 WCQ

Former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez scored the opener successful this World Cup qualifier, earlier Nestor Araujo confirmed the triumph conscionable earlier fractional time.

10. Mexico 0-0 Costa Rica (Jan 30, 2022) | 2022 WCQ

Goalkeeper Keylor Navas was connected manus arsenic Costa Rica held Mexico astatine bay to unafraid a goalless gully astatine the Azteca successful World Cup qualifying, though El Tri inactive managed to scope the 2022 finals.

9. Mexico 5-1 New Zealand (Nov 13, 2013) | 2014 WCQ OFC Playoff

Almost 100,000 fans packed into the Azteca to ticker Mexico's World Cup qualifying playoff against New Zealand, and they were treated to a spectacle as Miguel Herrera's men ran retired 5-1 winners.

Paul Aguilar opened the scoring and Jimenez followed that up earlier fractional time, with Oribe Peralta notching a 2nd play brace earlier El Tri icon Rafael Marquez netted his team's fifth.

8. Mexico 2-0 Canada (Mar 29, 2016) | 2018 WCQ 4th Round

Canada were incapable to respond aft a 17th-minute punishment from Guardado and a 45th-minute person from Jesus Corona successful March 2016.

7. Mexico 2-0 South Africa (Jun 11, 2026) | 2026 WC Group Stage

Exactly 16 years to the time that the sides met successful the opener to the 2010 World Cup, Mexico kicked disconnected World Cup 2026 against South Africa astatine Estadio Azteca.

Julian Quinones scored the inaugural extremity of the tourney wrong the archetypal 10 minutes of the contest, which besides saw striker Jimenez container his archetypal World Cup extremity - not to notation the 3 reddish cards.

6. Czech Republic 0-3 Mexico (Jun 24, 2026) | 2026 WC Group Stage

World Cup co-hosts Mexico finished apical of Group A with a commanding 3-0 triumph implicit Czech Republic.

Aguirre's broadside scored 3 times successful the 2nd fractional to unafraid maximum points, ending the radical signifier without conceding a azygous goal.

5. Mexico 0-0 Portugal (Mar 28, 2026) | Friendly

In the months starring up to World Cup 2026, Mexico welcomed Portugal to the Azteca for a preparatory friendly, and though the crippled ended goalless, much than 84,000 supporters filled the ground.

4. Mexico 1-1 Canada (Oct 7, 2021) | 2022 WCQ

Martino's Mexico took the pb courtesy of Jorge Sanchez, but an equaliser from Canada's Jonathan Osorio was capable to contradict El Tri the win.

3. Mexico 1-1 USA (Jun 11, 2017) | 2018 WCQ

Some of El Tri's toughest location games successful modern representation person been against the USA, and their World Cup qualifier successful June 2017 saw Michael Bradley unfastened the scoring for the Stars and Stripes, though Carlos Vela was capable to container an equaliser.

2. Mexico 0-0 USA (Mar 24, 2022) | 2022 WCQ

Gregg Berhalter's USA held Martino's Mexico to a goalless gully astatine the Azteca successful March 2022, denying El Tri occurrence successful yet different World Cup qualifier.

1. Mexico 2-0 Ecuador (Jun 30, 2026) | 2026 WC Round of 32

Ecuador - ranked 23rd by FIFA - arrived astatine the World Cup with a estimation arsenic 1 of the strongest antiaircraft nations around, but Mexico swarmed them aboriginal successful the game, spurred connected by the electrical ambiance wrong Estadio Azteca.

Quinones fired a superb onslaught beyond Hernan Galindez connected the 22-minute mark, earlier Jimenez added a 2nd astir fractional an hr into the contest.