Jack Wilshere believes England can overcome the daunting challenge of facing World Cup co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca Stadium tonight, insisting the Three Lions remain favourites despite the high altitude and one of international football’s most intimidating home records – which is the scene of the most infamous goal ever scored.
Thomas Tuchel’s side head into the World Cup last-16 tie after an unconvincing group stage that saw them beat Croatia 4-2 before being held 0-0 by Ghana and needing two late Harry Kane goals to come from behind and edge past DR Congo.
Now England face a very different examination in Mexico City, where the Azteca sits around 2,240 metres (7,220ft) above sea level and Mexico have lost just two of their 88 competitive internationals since the stadium opened in 1966. Their last competitive defeat there came against Honduras in 2013.
The hosts have also yet to concede a goal in four matches at this World Cup, with every game of theirs played on home soil at the Azteca.
Former England midfielder Wilshere experienced extreme conditions himself at the 2014 World Cup, when England lost 2-1 to Italy in the sweltering heat and humidity of Manaus, and believes Tuchel’s decision to arrive in Mexico City only the day before the match is the right one.
Having experienced the physical demands of playing in extreme conditions at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Wilshere believes England have adopted the only realistic approach to facing the altitude in Mexico City.
“It’s tough,” he said of playing in extreme conditions.
“And I quite like what they’ve [England] done. It’s probably the only thing that they could have done because they don’t have that time to adapt to it. And they’re just going there the day before and going to throw themselves into it.”
Drawing on his experience of playing in sweltering heat and humidity during England’s 2014 World Cup opener against Italy in Manaus – when he came on as a 73rd minute substitute for Jordan Henderson who is the only player that remains in the squad from 12 years ao – Wilshere discussed the physical challenge awaiting Thomas Tuchel’s side in Mexico City.
“It is energy sapping. You feel tired quicker, but you struggle for your breath as well.
“I know that Mexico will probably want to turn it into that high energy game. We have to be a little bit calmer, try and keep the ball a little bit more, which I think we probably are better at that now.
“We’ve definitely got a chance. It’ll be difficult, but I still make us favourites.”
England are returning to a stadium that holds painful memories. They have played at the Azteca six times previously. The last time was 40 years ago and was the most famous of them all. That was in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final when Diego Maradona scored both goals in Argentina’s 2-1 victory, including the infamous “Hand of God” opener before producing what has been called the “Goal of the Century” just four minutes later.
Despite England’s patchy form so far, Wilshere believes too much has been made of the performances as long as Tuchel’s team continue progressing.
“We’re through, and that’s what I keep saying to everyone,” he said.
“It doesn’t feel, I would say, that different in terms of where Thomas Tuchel is now and when Gareth Southgate was there.
“Gareth had so many strengths and he changed a lot of how the team was viewed, that everyone was then saying, well, actually, now we probably need that coach, I wouldn’t say better, but just different type of coach, tactical detail and all that, and then all of a sudden it’s going to flip and we’re going to dominate every game.
“I think we probably have dominated the ball better than we ever have. It’s difficult against a low block. Sometimes you probably want them to have a little bit more purpose, but we’re through when you’ve got a player like Harry Kane, you’re always in it.
“It felt like we were not too far away from disaster the other day [against Congo]. But we’re into the next game. The next game will be tough.”
Wilshere would, however, like to see England become more aggressive without the ball against Mexico.
“If there’s anything I’d like to see more, it’s us use our physicality more,” he added.
“I thought against Congo, we allowed them too much to have the ball and pass the ball around where you’ve got Dec [Declan Rice], you’ve got Jude [Bellingham], players like that who can be really aggressive.
“But we’re OK, we’re in it,” he said.
Victory would send England into the quarter-finals, to face either Brazil or Norway, while also ending one of international football’s longest-standing home records in the shadow of the Azteca.
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