England head coach Thomas Tuchel has admitted his side will be unable to adapt to high altitude conditions before their World Cup last-16 tie against Mexico.
Harry Kane’s double against DR Congo sealed England’s place in the knockout stages, setting up a match at Mexico City’s iconic Azteca Stadium on Monday, 6 July at 01:00 BST.
The Azteca Stadium sits approximately 7,200 feet above sea level, creating genuinely testing physical conditions for any visiting side unaccustomed to the environment.
At that altitude, lower barometric pressure means thinner air and reduced oxygen intake with each breath, presenting a significant physiological challenge for athletes performing at elite level.
Mexico have played all four of their World Cup games at altitude, with three matches at the Azteca Stadium and a fourth in Guadalajara, which stands around 5,000 feet above sea level.
“The altitude will be a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it,” said Tuchel, speaking frankly about the challenge his players will face.
“It just takes too much time. We have only three days in between these matches. It’s physically just not possible to adapt to the altitude.”
Research indicates that athletes need between one and two weeks living at altitude for their bodies to properly acclimatise and produce the additional red blood cells required for peak performance.
England will arrive in Mexico City just two days before the match, leaving almost no window for meaningful physical adjustment to the conditions.
“That is just a huge advantage that Mexico will have,” Tuchel added, before striking a defiant tone about his team’s readiness to overcome the challenge.
“More obstacles may come, but we are ready for that. This is just something with which we will have to deal. And I think we showed the attitude that we are ready for that.”
Tuchel also pushed back on the suggestion that the weight of expectation, linked to England’s long wait to build on their solitary World Cup triumph 60 years ago, had impacted his team’s display against DR Congo.
“I did not see any of that,” he said. “It would be so easy to give in and to accept that narrative. I didn’t see any of that, and that is a very, very good sign.”
With the last-16 fixture kicking off at 01:00 BST, the late start prompted questions about whether young England supporters should stay up to watch, and Tuchel had a characteristically direct response.
“Write an excuse for school and let them watch,” he said, drawing laughter before adding a more earnest appeal for public support.
“There’s so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch. There will be a big match in four days, and we need the support of everyone, especially the children.”
The match will be broadcast live across BBC TV, radio and online, giving fans across the country the chance to follow England’s bid to reach the quarter-finals.
