Declan Rice plays down concerns over the altitude of the Azteca Stadium, stressing that England will face Mexico as a normal away match despite the challenges posed by the venue.
Former England striker Stan Collymore has harshly criticized FIFA for allowing World Cup co-hosts Mexico to play at the high-altitude Azteca Stadium. However, midfielder Declan Rice assures that the team is not at all intimidated by the hostile conditions ahead of the round of 16 match.
The physical challenges of playing at the Azteca Stadium have dominated England's preparations for the knockout match against Mexico. Located 2,241 meters above sea level, the legendary stadium presents extreme physiological challenges, including rapid fatigue and slower recovery times for unacclimatized players.
Critics have questioned the fairness of the tournament's structure, given that Mexico played all of its matches at home. This advantage is highlighted by their impressive record of just two defeats in 89 competitive matches at the venue.
Speaking to BetGoodwin, Collymore expressed deep frustration with the geographical allocations given to the tournament's co-organisers, calling for substantial changes to the current selection process. Collymore said: "It's wrong that Mexico was given such a big physical advantage. I think FIFA and Gianni Infantino need to sit down with the other associations and find a way to make these tournaments fairer.
“Canada, for example, is a co-host but had to play across the border in Seattle, while Mexico was essentially able to stay at Azteca, where they lost only twice in over 80 games. We all know that the physiological benefit of playing at high altitude is very real. This was known well in advance, so I think it is grossly unfair that one team can have such a significant physical advantage on what should be a fair playing field.
"For me, the whole hospitality system needs to be overhauled. England, with probably the largest domestic league in world football, has not hosted a World Cup in the modern era of television, while Mexico has already had three. So yes, I think it is absolutely wrong that one country can have such a clear physiological advantage over another."
Aside from these concerns, the England camp have deliberately played down any anxiety about the local environment. Speaking to Lions' Den, Rice stressed that Thomas Tuchel's side are treating the fixture as a normal away match, regardless of the historical weight of the venue.
Rice said: "For us it's going to be a bit like an away game. They've played every game in Mexico so far, they've been at home for the whole tournament, so for us it's just about going there and dealing with what we're presented with. We don't care where we play. For us, it's just a stadium. Obviously Azteca are known for Maradona's 'Mano de Dios' and so many other iconic moments. But for us it's just a job to do. It's going to be incredible, but it's just another stadium we play in."
England face their toughest test of the tournament against a confident Mexican side who have won all four matches so far without conceding a goal. Having previously only played at high altitude, the Three Lions must adapt immediately to avoid a premature exit. Managing physical energy levels from the kick-off will be absolutely crucial if the visitors are to halt Mexico's momentum and secure a place in the quarter-finals.
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