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Mexico’ coach Javier Aguirre has dismissed concerns and discussions about the altitude at Estadio Azteca being an advantage for his team ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 round-of-16 clash against England.
Aguirre stated that the physical condition will not decide the game, noting, “It’s 11 against 11,” and stressed that Mexico will need to play a “near-perfect match” to defeat a “powerful” England side.
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While Aguirre has played down the condition as a decisive factor, the 2,240-meter (7,350-foot) altitude of Mexico City has sparked considerable debate.
The thinner air significantly reduces oxygen intake and causes the ball to travel faster. This has prompted English coach Thomas Tuchel to highlight the environmental challenge, especially given England’s short turnaround to arrive and play at the venue.
Despite the physical advantages and formidable home crowd often enjoyed at the Azteca, Aguirre’s focus remains on tactical discipline rather than relying on environmental conditions to advance to the quarterfinals.
“They have major players who play both inside and outside the country,” he said. “They’re pretty powerful, physically speaking, and they’re great players.”
“I really do not focus on that. It’s 11 against 11. The referee is there to point things out.
“I really don’t think about things like that because we’re 11 Mexican players that need to score in their net, and they’re going to try to score in ours.
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“The group is aware of where we are,” he said. “The group knows, and every single one of my players has a smartphone and they’re on fire, so they’re pretty much aware of the euphoria and the optimism out there.
“My obligation is that whenever they get too self-confident or whenever they get too ecstatic, I try to ground them.
“If I didn’t believe that we could indeed beat England, I would tell you, as a matter of fact. But I firmly believe in how (we) play. I believe that we are at par, and the team that makes fewer mistakes is going to win.”
