England manager Thomas Tuchel said his team cannot acclimate to the altitude conditions ahead of their World Cup round of 16 match against Mexico. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
The match will be played at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, which sits at an altitude of 2,200 meters above sea level. This significantly affects players' physical condition. According to Tuchel, acclimation requires at least two weeks, but England does not have that time.
"We cannot acclimate to this. It's impossible. We just have to play our game," Tuchel said at a press conference.
England advanced to the round of 16 after a 3-1 win over Congo in Atlanta on July 1. Goals were scored by Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. Mexico, meanwhile, defeated Ecuador 2-0 in Mexico City on June 30.
The Azteca Stadium is one of the most iconic venues in football history. It was the site of Diego Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal in 1986. This adds a special historical significance to the match between England and Mexico.
The match will take place on July 5. The winner will face Argentina or Uruguay in the quarterfinals.