England v Mexico

I took your advice, mes

commedy gold...

brilliant

When you have a striker like Harry Kane anything is possible.

could easily see another 4/5 changes,we,re winging it from here on in
spence,rash,madwuke,anderon, one ofkonsa/guhei could all be for the chop on sunday night

instead of throwing 4 wide balls in the air and hope one or 2 land,now games are getting harder wby dont we give back line some protection and switch to a back 5, if no jamess or quah fit,
                                pickford
         spence        stones      guhei        konsa        oriley

                                rice
           
                      jude                 elliot

                                 rogers

                             kane

n ere we go
am sure i read summit
about fresh air breaks
for the engerland superstars
for this game...??!!?

Imported in cans from Switzerland.

The way it's looking we should give some serious consideration to playing in a low block ourselves and using the counter attack, cut our cloth accordingly.

Over 2,000 metres above sea level in Mexico City
About 6pm ? Local time
Gonna be warm and hard to breathe I would imagine
We've almost certainly got the better players overall but...

A 50 50 call, imo

Early prices on here
Mexico 5/2
Draw 9/4
England 6/4

Shouldn't be too warm Reg, low 20's but humid - rain about all week there.

Tommy Tuchel seems to have inherited Southgate's good fortune, easyish groups, preferred side of the draw for KO's and managing to stumble through somehow against limited opponents. But whatever happens he should get pelters for his dreadful squad selection, the defence looks very suspect and that's mainly down to him.

OK Dixie, conditions maybe not as bad as I thought regarding temperatures, but the altitude could be a big problem for us
Wouldn't want to be playing this Senegal lot next round, they're useful

You dont know much about football if you think Senegal are usefull

Easy England win... and a late consolation goal for Raul Jimenez

Si Senor

Defence looked shocking before the injuries ffs.. Back 3 .. wing backs ..  Conte style

Altitude (and humidity) then Miami heat at 5pm 6 days later. You wouldn't want to be going to ET in either of those. Could be fatal even if you win both in 90. Hope Norway beat Brazil too. Makes the Argies draw look even more handy.

Altitude will be a challenge but they played South Africa in the Azteca and hardly blew them away and the saffers were poor.

All I am hoping for is that we don't get Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart, and Micah Richards doing the studio punditry.

^
BBC have the game so I expect that's the line up.

Keane, Neville + some woman are no better.

if your ever going to back eng in 90 mins ,6 to 4 + possible boost on the day,is the time/game  to bet like a man,if they win ,they,ll probably be shorter to beat brazil in the quarters,

Abba, when I posted about Senegal being useful they were 2-0 up and controlling the game
albeit Belgium had been rubbish up until then
I said earlier on another thread during the match that they might fold if they conceded which they did, and Belgium then started playing OK
Your comment about me knowing nothing about football came after the match had finished and Senegal had gone out, easy to say that then

I think this match mirrored the England one, in the sense that the pre match underdogs, both African teams, played far better than expected and were deservedly leading, and if they'd had the ability to close out a game, Senegal would have won and so would DR Congo without the Kane factor.

Apologies Abba, I realise your comment was about halfway through ET, but still by then Senegal had gone mentally through conceding those 2 late goals in normal time

Konsa is simply not an international footballer. He's championship level being honest.

If anyone thinks Mexico will be a doddle they need their heads read......I personally think Mexico's price is very tempting but couldn't back against my own Country.

What level of Football have you played .. Abba ?

ABBA peaked at schoolboy level but only made 1 appearance before being dropped after a hat trick of Own Goals, not that he was bothered he backed over 2.5

no it wont be easy ,in vital games england dont do easy .......best of luck to the 3 lions .

Senegal are a good team, Belgium were very lucky to pull that one out of the fire.

"If anyone thinks Mexico will be a doddle they need their heads read......I personally think Mexico's price is very tempting but couldn't back against my own Country."    Everyone that thinks England are sh1te will be posting their bets ( 3.25 ) here 

Jul 2, 2026 -- 1:19AM, mesmerised wrote:

Altitude will be a challenge but they played South Africa in the Azteca and hardly blew them away and the saffers were poor.

The Saffers acclimatised at even higher altitude in Pachuca for 9 days before the match and they are more used to altitude.

Mexico are beatable but England aren't beating anyone comfortably and the draining effect of altitude + heat in Miami is a major disadvantage for England beyond the teams they'll have to face.

About time the Mexicans conceded a goal.England haven't played that well yet,
we've got the players to do it & if we do click we can match most teams.

I don't think 9 days acclimitisation is long enough, need a month to really increase red blood cell count,  the 9 days may have helped them with adjusting heart rates and breathing but that takes days 3-4 days. If England hold out for the first hydration break, during which Mexico will attempt to tire England out with pressing as they do to every opponent and hold onto to a 1-0 lead, then it will help as you don't want to be chasing at altitude at the very least.

Stringvest02 Jul 26 11:02Joined: 02 Apr 25 | Topic/replies: 1,505 | Blogger: Stringvest's blog
What level of Football have you played .. Abba ?

Subbuteo i would think String, or maybe Chad Valley

always last man picked to play right back for the skins, NAP

if you no,you no

Never knew Betfair's football forum was so stuffed with high-altitude physiologists.

5000 ft
Should be beating this mob
Flip flops on
Just shame got play our best 8
As 2 or where ****

Mexico have lost only twice in 89 competitive games since the Azteca was opened in 1966, its not going to be a shoe in ffs, England ranked 4th and Mexico are ranked 10.
It should be said of course that most of Mexico's competitive matches there have been against CONCAF opposition, hardly the strongest but its a good record nevertheless. And the strongest of those sides didnt have to qualify, USA and Canada.

The altitude has to give them an edge, it simply has to, they are acclamatised and we are not. They've had no travelling to do.

Despite their great record at the Azteca, they have lost 6 friendly games, but they drew 0-0 with Portugal, 1-1 with Belguim and beat Iceland 4-0 earlier this year.

Englands record away to Mexico isnt inspiring, even if the matches were a time ago - lost 2-1, drew 0-0 and lost 1-0.

And lest not forget - there may be extra time to contend with.

A hard game to predict but its difficult to work out why they have England as favourites.

Most of those 89 competitive games were in the second weakest qualification region for World Cups/Gold Cups against small Caribbean islands, Canada and USA for decades when they were 3rd world footballing countries, they rarely play opposition of England's calibre at home in competitive games. Just for Qualifying for the last world cup they only had to play Jamaica, Canada, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, the USA and El Salvador, what would be the European equivilent of that? the likes of Romania, Bulgaria, Finland, Iceland, Slovenia and the Faroes?

Their rankings is largely dictated by matches in this region, you only have to look at their poor World Cup history to see it's not that, 7 knockouts in the second round 7 world cups in a row, then out in the groups.

Even in the 70/86 World Cup, matches at the Azteca were not against any big dogs

Mexico's Azteca record at the World Cup
Mexico 0-0 Soviet Union (1970)Mexico 4-0 El Salvador (1970)Mexico 1-0 Belgium (1970)Mexico 2-1 Belgium (1986)Mexico 1-1 Paraguay (1986)Mexico 1-0 Iraq (1986)Mexico 2-0 Bulgaria (1986)Mexico 2-0 South Africa (2026)Mexico 3-0 Czechia (2026)Mexico 2-0 Ecuador (2026)

Only real problem for England is altitude, not the quality of Mexico.

Kind Regards

To put things into perspective, the highest mountain in the UK is Ben Nevis which is 1,345 metres above sea level, the Aztek is 2,240m above sea level, not quite double, but not far off it. To me it is a leveler, England have by far the better players but the altitude will handicap them, it will come down to tactics and heart and I think there is too many players in your team who aren't as invested in England as your captain is, I saw to many players smiling and chumming it up with thier bro's at the end of the Ghana game where as Kane was stoney faced, just an observation, I'll be backing Mexico, if you loose it wouldn't be because of altitude though, imo.

The Scots will be a lot higher than the Azteca on Monday morning if you get pumped mind, we'll be gasping for breath from laughing............................

The same Jocks that were home before the postcards arrived again

Saving a lot of money from travelling all over the America's for a competition we were never going to win.......

The English have been laughing at you lot for centuries.

Based on an analysis of 1,460 South American matches spanning over a century altitude is worth a 0.5 goal advantage for every 1,000m.  So Mexico have a 1.14 goal head start based on that.  Hopefully modern sports science and better preparation (although we keep hearing that they've had far from ideal preparation) can reduce that a bit.

There's not a single Mexican player that gets in England's squad.  This isn't a great Mexican squad.  I think England are over a goal better than Mexico, but reading so much negativity around the altitude situation hard to know who should be faves for this game.

The heat, the atmosphere, the altitude.  It's going to be tough.  WR of 10th.  Do me favour.  That's BS

https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/news/2026/07/england-vs-altitude/

They prolly need to sit back and play on the break.  Preserve as much energy as possible.  If Mexico really were the 10th best International team they'd be big faves

It won't be hot, but lack of oxygen a major problem unless they have lasse virens doctor.

You can't compete athletically at altitude if the other team are acclimatised and you are not.

You need 2 weeks, at least.

Poor planning, engerland could have stayed somewhere like denver to acclimatise. This
also gives advantage at sea level... Look up
altitude training.

yeah the most likely 2nd round match England was going to have pre-tournament, was Mexico at the Azteca

Need to also remember that this England team just isn't very good.


Back five is Europa League level.

Rice is knackered after a hard season.

Saka is clearly not fit.

Other wingers are garbage.

Basically it's the Jude and Harry show, and Harry is 43 and pacing himself when at sea level, while the backup players can't be guaranteed to kick a ball in a straight line.

Dan burn is used to playing at altitude.

always liked watching the mexicans at world cup,mbacked them to win the group,they played ok the other night,but i wasnt impressed with them in group stages and already backed ENG at 6/4 and will go in again if  any boosts on matchday

Kick off could be  moved forward by 6 hours
Because of heavy rain forecast

Heat at its most hottest
Pubs will be pleased!!!

Brazil Norway set to kick off at 9.00pm our time, if they move England game there could be a clash if extra time

That will make it harder for England, hottest part of the day, as well as the altitude. England are definitely a better side that Mexico, but the conditions and the injuries could make it more of a coin toss.

Brazil game could be moved as well then

Right, so they'll shift the Brazil game further on

we've already had games delayed with thunderstorms surely the forecast was known for these games  ???

OK Guys
It was an April Fool
Start date is the original time

Great, so we havent done any altitude training then. Agent Tuchel is going to be fuming if we win this one

HoratioNelson02 Jul 26 10:58

If anyone thinks Mexico will be a doddle they need their heads read......I personally think Mexico's price is very tempting but couldn't back against my own Country.

Exactly my thoughts on the betting for this one - England lay is screaming value at these prices, but very hard to do it when you want to support your country and cheer them on!

No change of time. It's on at 1am Monday as before. It will give the England players more time with altitude acclimatisation.

I've backed Mexico @ 3.3

Altitude is no joke, I doubt England will cope with it.

A number of teams have looked really rank in the early stages, but somehow got through. Some have improved quite a bit, and even topped their groups. Mexico is one of these, imo. In a neutral venue without the altitude, heat and the injury concerns, I would make England fairly heavy favourites. Mexico are a fairly poor side, but England's injury worries, the age of the squad, the general lack of cohesion and mediocre performances leave a lot of room for doubt. I think England will get through, but it's not one to bet on, until we see how they cope with the conditions.

its 7000 feet, not 27000 feet. England will be too good for them, but only just in a low scoring affair

of course i could be wrong...

AI
The air is significantly thinner and less dense at 7,000 feet compared to 1,000 feet. Specifically, atmospheric pressure drops by about 1 inch of mercury per 1,000 feet of elevation. This means at 7,000 feet, the air pressure is roughly 20% lower than at 1,000 feet, which results in around 7 to 8% less oxygen available per breath.

If you stacked around 50 Wembley stadiums on top of each other, that's how high the Azteca is.

some people are badly affected by altitude, some aren't bothered by it much at all. You don't really know until you experience it. It's bound to have some effect on certain players, and some of them will struggle with the heat. However, if the players are fit and healthy, it might not be such a big factor as some think. Personally, I think the fitness and form, of Kane, Bellingham, Rice and Saka is more of a concern, and of course the right-back position.
I'm still going with England, but not as confident as earlier.

Yep, the injuries and lack of cohesion are more a worry than the altitude, most of the Mexicans play over here away from altitude too although I accept that they are more used to it than us.

James a serial crock, surprisingly gets injured, Stones hasn't played all season but gets taken as Tuchel must really like him but seemingly then falls out of love with him after one game, and then there's Spence????

I think the form is more of a concern than the altitude, tbh. This Mexico side is bang average and should get rolled over. Depends which England turn up. 3-0 either way is live.

As Brad Friedle said, someone much more familiar with Mexico that the rest us having played in that Qualifying region for years with the US, that Mexico are a really poor team, their common tactic at the Azteca is to go full throttle for the first 20 minutes to try and tire the opposition out at Altitude, but once they get past that 20 minutes you see what an average team they are. It still amazes me that this country with 130 million where football is king, can't produce any player of quality, the 5th best player in their history is apparently Javier Hernandez and he was bang average. Kind Regards.