MEXICO CITY -- In Thomas Tuchel's first team meeting as England manager back in March 2025, he showed the squad an image of Mount Everest. On Everest, he'd mapped out the next 15 or so months as a series of camps on the side of the mountain, with July 19 -- the date of the World Cup final -- sitting atop the peak. On Sunday, we'll see if Tuchel's side get altitude sickness on their ascent to capturing their second World Cup title in a place which holds grim memories for English sport.
Though we're in Mexico, it's hard to escape Argentina's favourite son and a painful day in England's footballing history at the Azteca Stadium. Diego Maradona is everywhere, the star of Mexico '86. Just next to El Ángel in Reforma are a string of billboards with iconic images telling the story of this city's magnificent stadium, and Mexican football. One panel holds the photo of Maradona, arm outstretched, palming the ball over Peter Shilton's head: the infamous "Hand of God" goal.
"Everyone remembers the goal and the huge disadvantage for the English team -- it's painful, it still hurts," Tuchel said. "But we're not here for revenge, it doesn't make sense. We're here to write our own chapter."
Tuchel said he hopes 40 years on from that infamous moment, "karma" will swing the balance of Sunday's match back in England's favour, but this match is the ultimate challenge for this group of players in Mexico's fortress. It's the Khumbu Icefall on their Everest journey. When you step inside the Azteca Stadium for the first time, the view catches your breath. The stadium stands at 2,240 metres above sea level so your lungs are already on fire, but it's the sheer vastness of it which causes you to stop and gawp as you take in the scene: the steeping stands loom over the immaculate grass, while the seats echo with the intimidating stadium's past, a ground which hosted both the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals.
It's a place Mexico have loved playing in. They have lost just two of the 89 competitive matches they've played here -- those defeats coming against Costa Rica in 2001 and Honduras in 2013. "The Azteca carries weight," Mexico midfielder Álvaro Fidalgo said Saturday.
It's intimidating, it's claustrophobic, and it's over a mile above sea level. The altitude and how England's lungs cope with that has been one of the big narratives heading into this match.
"My throat would tighten every time I ran," Fidalgo said, when talking about his early matches for Mexico here.
There are two methods of adapting to playing at altitude: either you arrive two weeks before the match (England arrived a full month before they started the 1970 and 1986 World Cups) or you leave it until the last minute. England have been afforded neither luxury.
"When you're inside the bubble it's calm. The bigger, the noise, the tension, it shows us not to lose your head, you cannot influence it. It's not worth losing our head," Tuchel said. "Altitude -- it is what it is. Home crowd? It's not in our favour, but we have the spirit and commitment and the glue in the team to overcome these things. We focus completely on what's possible to be influenced by us."
Neither have England been granted the chance to arrive in Mexico in anonymity. The team's bus was broadcast on national television arriving at their hotel in Santa Fe, against a backdrop of audible boos and hefty security. Fireworks kept Ecuador awake before their round of 32 match, England can expect to be afforded the same restless treatment.
There's also the emotional significance of this match, with Mexico's beloved manager Javier Aguirre retiring after this tournament. It was put to him on Saturday that his demeanour is similar to that of a preacher. "I've heard me called lots of things but I've never heard that, it's dumb," Aguirre said. A little while later he was questioned on whether the discussions over the kick-off time had thrown him. "Now you're calling me a fool!" he responded.
Either way, Aguirre is adamant the discussions on Friday of the kick-off time being brought forward by six hours to avoid a potential thunderstorm did not cause distraction to his team. At one point, this match was being moved forward six hours to midday local. Then it was back to its usual 6 p.m. local time. Tuchel said similar: "We were on the plane for much of it, so when we landed, it was the original kick off again. It wasn't the worst time to be on a plane for three-and-a-half hours."
As for the matchup on the pitch, Aguirre praised Harry Kane and the standard of the England team, but was also quick to talk up their own threats, including the scarily talented 17-year-old Gilberto Mora who Aguirre says "can play anywhere in the world" and "will do big things".
At the other end of the age scale is their talismanic 35-year-old striker, Raúl Jiménez who is now back at Wolves after leaving Fulham. And then there's left winger Julián Quiñones, who has been Mexico's most dangerous player at this World Cup and will be running directly at England's problem position.
On top of the emotional weight of this match, the altitude and the Azteca factor, Tuchel is juggling a team in mixed form, and with injuries. Right-back is an issue. Reece James won't start the game on Sunday with the hamstring injury which saw him sit out the matches against both Panama and DR Congo. Declan Rice ended up as England's makeshift right-back in the nervy 2-1 win over DR Congo, but Tuchel says they won't look at that as an option from the outset on Sunday. So that leaves Djed Spence and Jarell Quansah.
It's hardly ideal.
England are also battling tired legs and are still trying to find their best form and rhythm. England were magnificent in the second half against Croatia and played well in the second half versus Panama and DR Congo. On all three occasions Kane was integral to getting England over the finishing line, while Jude Bellingham helped save them against Panama, and the bench made the required impact in the win over DR Congo.
Tuchel is talking about how their mantra -- borrowed from the San Antonio Spurs -- is focused on "pounding the rock" (making dents in a boulder until it finally splits) but England cannot allow the size of the task to get too big against Mexico. Mexico started brilliantly against Ecuador and cannot be afforded the same headstart on Sunday.
These are the sorts of matches for why the FA appointed Tuchel, charged with ending their 60-year wait for another major trophy, and adding a second star to sit alongside their 1966 triumph. "It makes you feel alive, every little detail is at the highest level," Tuchel said. "You feel the excitement, it's a next-level setting. I think we have room to grow. Overall we're in a good place and I think we're close to put it together."
The match could yet be disrupted by a thunderstorm, the kick-off potentially delayed, but the opportunity for England remains the same. Tuchel's side can exorcise some footballing demons from their history, and register a statement win, something we haven't yet seen under the German.
"I don't think this game compares with anything I've been involved in -- a World Cup in Mexico against Mexico, I don't think anything compares with that," Jordan Henderson said.
England's 1970 and 1986 World Cup campaigns came unstuck in Mexico and if they are to continue climbing their own Everest and avoid it becoming third time unlucky, then it'll take something truly special on Sunday to keep their ascent going.
"We need to walk the walk tomorrow," Tuchel said. "But I'm convinced it'll bring out the best in our team."
