Thomas Tuchel says England have the opportunity to "make peace" with the Azteca Stadium amid potential "karmic" retribution on their first return to the famous arena since the ‘Hand of God’ in 1986, despite agreeing that the altitude is an unfair "disadvantage".

"I just love football and the old tournaments," Tuchel said. "These pictures from Mexico, they are in St George's Park, where we stay.

"Big pieces of history. This is a big moment to make peace with the stadium and turn things around.

“It will reward us. We will get it back. It’s karma. Karma will come back for us. We will turn it around.

"I remember of course the world cup of Maradona. Two goals against England. One that was dribbling and one that would never stand these days.

"I remember something was hanging in the centre of the Azteca and it never moved. It was like a ball hanging and the sun was so steep the shadow was always there in the middle.

"I was 13 years old and Germany played them in the final. It's an iconic stadium. I remember the coffee table book that came from it and the pictures with all these flags and stuff. Super excited to have this match. It's an iconic match to play against Mexico in Mexico. It will be against the whole country, the energy of the whole stadium in their country."

Thomas Tuchel has admitted that England will have to battle against the challenges of altitude in the World Cup last-16, given how Mexico are so accustomed to it.

The Azteca stands at 2,240 meters above sea level. When asked whether this was unfair, the German said: “Yes, it's a huge advantage”.

Tuchel did admit that England changed plans as a consequence.

Having flown back to their Kansas City base after the Atlanta win over Democratic Republic of Congo, the squad will fly on Friday afternoon - rather than the usual trip the day before the game - in order to find some kind of balance within the constraints and the recommendations for the best preparation for altitude.

"We will go one night earlier. It makes sense,” he said.

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“I want to enjoy this one, because I know there’s another extremely tough game coming in four days,” Harry Kane said.

“Mexico, in Mexico, is as big as it gets maybe in the World Cup.

“The atmosphere is going to be incredible. It’s going to be tough for many different reasons but ultimately, if you want to be world champions, you have to go through tough games, good teams, Mexico at home.

“We have to be ready but for now I just want to enjoy this moment, I want to recover, relax, and then obviously the focus will turn pretty quickly onto that one on Sunday.

“They’ve obviously won every game so far in the tournament, but they’re playing at home.

“You know what? As soon as he hit (the second goal), I knew it was going in,” Anthony Gordon said. “I was already celebrating.

“It’s more the consistency that he surprised me with. Anyone can score a good goal, anyone at this level can put the ball in the top corner.

“This is the consistency that he does it. Every day in training. Every game. He is phenomenal. He plays at such a high, high level.

“It’s amazing to be around him every day, because when you’re around someone at the elite level – he’s at the very, very top of football, he’s having a season that’s only ever been beaten by Lionel Messi, the greatest footballer of all time. So that speaks to the level he’s playing at.

“When you’re around someone like that, you want to pick up as many habits and watch everything he does to see why he’s at that level.

“It’s no accident, like I said, there’s consistency every day, how hard he works, every finishing drill.

“He does it with passion, he does it with seriousness. He never ever messes about. So it’s amazing to be around him. He’s definitely an inspiration to all of us.”

Former England captain and centre forward Alan Shearer told the BBC: "It wasn't a good performance and I've got the same concerns as I had in the previous two or three games about us defensively.”

Kane has once again shown why he remains among the world's elite forwards, capable of deciding matches by himself.

"There's not many centre forwards in the world can produce that piece of magic," Shearer said. "The way he turns and swivels - and the balance is incredible. Then to get the direction and the power into the roof of the net - that was some strike."

But knockout football has a way of exposing over-reliance on any one player. Opponents become stronger, margins become finer and, eventually, even the most reliable match-winners can be contained.

Pubs across England and Wales will be able to stay open until 5am for the England v Mexico World Cup match that kicks off at 1am on Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced.

MPs had called for leeway beyond the 2am extended pub opening hours already in place for England matches during the tournament.

England will face Mexico in the last after beating the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2-1 on Wednesday but the next game in Mexico City begins at 1am BST and will not finish until after the previous extended hours provision.

The Prime Minister said: “Football might be coming home but we’re making sure fans don’t have to.

“Pubs staying open till the final whistle is good news for supporters and good news for the pubs and venues that bring our communities together.

“The whole country will be backing the team. Come on England!”

Tickets for England’s last-16 clash against co-hosts Mexico at World Cup 2026 are selling for eye-watering prices up to $36,000 [£27,300].

The clash is rivalling the most expensive World Cup knockout fixtures ever after England battled to a 2-1 victory over DR Congo thanks to Harry Kane’s rescue act to set up a mouthwatering tie at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, at 1am BST on Monday.

Outgoing prime minister Keir Starmer is set to relax UK licensing laws to allow all pubs to stay open until the small hours on Monday morning should they wish but fans hoping to attend the fixture in Mexico face ludicrously high ticket prices on Fifa’s resale website.

The Education Secretary says schoolchildren could watch England’s early-morning World Cup match against Mexico on Monday and still make it to class after head coach Thomas Tuchel said pupils should be allowed “an excuse for school”.

Victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday set up a meeting with the co-hosts in Mexico City that will kick off at 1am BST, likely impacting the size of the television audience able to watch.

In the past it has been common for schools and employers to allow England games in the latter stages of major tournaments to be shown when they clash with working hours, but Monday’s kick-off in the small hours poses a unique obstacle.

However, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson does not believe watching the match necessarily means children need to miss school.

“It’s a late game, but children can be in school the next day,” she told the Press Association.

Asked if she believed children can both watch the game and still make it into school, she said: “Well, I think they can, yes, but it’s for parents to decide how they manage this, and of course, it depends on the age of your children, how they feel. But this is about decisions for individual families.”