England footballer Jude Bellingham found an unconventional way to cope with the 33C heat in Kansas on Thursday, training in his underpants during a session with the rest of the squad. Captain Harry Kane was also present during the grueling workout on exercise bikes.
However, the primary concern for England as they prepare to face Mexico in Mexico City is not the heat, but the altitude. The city sits nearly 7,300 feet above sea level, which means thinner air that could pose a significant challenge for the visiting team. Mexican newspaper El Universal has cynically called on their team to 'make England run' during the match, predicting that the visitors will tire.
This match will see England return to the iconic Azteca Stadium, the site of their 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals, where Diego Maradona scored the infamous 'Hand of God' goal. Mexico boasts a strong record at the venue, having played 89 games there and lost only twice. The national team remains unbeaten in World Cup matches at the Azteca, securing three wins in the current tournament, scoring seven goals without conceding.
England's supporters are also anticipating being outnumbered by the vocal home crowd. Following Mexico's victory over Ecuador to reach the last 16, one million fans celebrated in the capital, a scene that unfortunately resulted in three fatalities due to crowd crush. England will also need to prepare for potential disruptive tactics from Mexican supporters, as evidenced by the pre-match antics outside their opponents' team hotel before the Ecuador game, where hundreds gathered to create noise with car horns, motorcycles, and trumpets.
Manager Thomas Tuchel has acknowledged that Mexico holds a 'huge advantage' in the upcoming last-16 match due to the high altitude. The team's previous matches were held at much lower elevations, including games in Boston and New York (both at sea level), Dallas (400 feet), and Atlanta (1,000 feet), starkly contrasting with Mexico City's 7,300-foot elevation.