Luis Mendoza

Mexi - can!

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Dear @FA, can we invite Mexico for a Wembley friendly, please? Outside Azteca, England fans swapping shirts with Mexicans, England fans and Mexicans drinking and singing together. Mexico been wonderful hosts. Be great to see them and their fans at Wembley. Not been since 2010.

[Brandon Walker @BFW]

I’m a casual but so far this England-Mexico match is in the running for the greatest of all time.

[Hiper Realista @RealistaHiper]

Esto sucedió hoy en la CDMX entre aficionados ingleses 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 y mexicanos 🇲🇽

Esto es algo que en ningún otro país del mundo se podría imaginar, previo a un partido de eliminación directa.

Grande, México 🇲🇽, eres el mejor anfitrión del planeta.

🇲🇽🤝🌎

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Football is everywhere in Mexico City. It’s embedded in this vibrant city, in these people, in the fabric of life here. Its stars’ images adorn billboards on buildings. Its stories dominate conversations about the selection, opposition, ambition and now this epic collision with England at Azteca for a place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup co-hosted by Mexico.

Football is on everyone’s lips, and on every street. Racks of Mexico shirts are pushed along the side of the road, blending in with traffic-slowed cars, some of which already have green flags flying from the windows. People go about their work in Mexico shirts as if it’s the office uniform. Two dogs are led through town wearing miniature replica shirts. That’s normal. That’s life here.

A group of triumphant schoolboy footballers, still in full kit, stand on a street corner posing for pictures with their trophy and passing fans in Brazil, Colombia or USA shirts. Yards away, workers erect huge security barriers to prevent fans climbing on bus shelters and monuments for better views of the many public screens showing footage from Azteca.

Football is everywhere from the moment you enter Mexico. In the immigration official who wanted to talk Raul Jimenez’s exit from Fulham. In the bakery with celebratory team cakes adorned with green icing. In the art exhibition with a centre-piece of 10 footballs painted by children. In the waitress in a side-street café promising access to match tickets for a couple of England fans. Not cheap.

Football seeps from the cracks in the pavements, from every pore of this city of chaos and charm. Visitors from US venues are immediately struck by the feeling of moving up a level. “I felt the passion straight away,” Thomas Tuchel said. “As soon as we landed in Mexico City, you feel the energy of the place, you see the people on the side of the street, getting a glimpse of the bus, people in front of the hotel. It makes you feel alive. It makes you sharper. I see the excitement in the players’ eyes.”

And so they should be excited. They get to perform on one of world football's great stages, the Azteca, where Pele and Diego Maradona lifted the World Cup, playing in front of 72,000 fans, all but 8,000 of them imploring Jimenez and the dangerous left-sided Julian Quinones to wreak havoc on England’s uncertain defence. Forget the feared meteorological storm; England face an early whirlwind blowing towards them as Mexico love to start strong, drawing on their bodies' greater connection with the altitude.

England are out of their comfort zone, at altitude, and so far out of their usual time zone that they play a game on a Sunday their fans back home watch on a Monday. They face hosts who have lost only two of 89 competitive internationals at Azteca. It’s all about whether England get tied up emotionally in all the talk of altitude and the Azteca’s reputation as a serial ambush site. Or just focus on the job in hand, beating a decent but not great team ranked below them in the Fifa standings.

“The stadium can create momentum and belief in the home team,” Tuchel added with a strong caveat. “We have very experienced players, who play up against the toughest teams for their clubs. It takes a lot of courage to get a top performance in Azteca stadium, against Mexico, but we have a brave team. You're in such an iconic place. It makes me feel very alive. It brings out the best of myself.”

Tuchel is aware of England’s last visit, 40 years ago, and the Hand of God of Argentina’s Maradona. Different opposition, same venue. “That was just painful, still hurts, but we're not here for revenge. We’re here to write our own chapter and we are ready. We have the spirit, we have the commitment to be together, to compete, to give everything for the nation back home to be proud.” If they raise their defensive game, England have a chance. #ENG #MEXENG #FIFAWorldCup

[Blair McNally @BlairMcNally1]

Tonight. I am Mexican! 🇲🇽

[Luis Mendoza @Luismn77]

@Tomitfc95 No questions. Generational game.

[Tom 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 @Tomitfc95]

I’ve been to a lot of games home and away with my club and country, but tonight has potential to be the best ever.
Mexico in a World Cup knockout game at the Azteca is more than a generational game!
Feel privileged to be able to be there tonight 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

#FollowEnglandAway

[Dennis Oliver @lasergoat3d]

@SkylarSkye3 Oh Mexico is great. The people are great the food the atmosphere. If they got their government out of the cartel business they could be a real powerhouse of a country.

[Lynne ₿ @lynnerae]

I’ve chosen to live in Mexico for the past 20 years. Best decision ever. I’ve lived in tourist towns, beachside, and now Mexico City. I’ve traveled the whole country (authored 6 guidebooks to Mexico). Are there problems here? Sure— as there are everywhere. But there is also an incredibly rich history, stunning landscapes, and a culture of great food, literature, and visual arts. Beyond all of this, I love Mexico because living here has - simply stated - made me a better person: I know my neighbors, I never hesitate to smile at a stranger, and I look for, and see, joy in every day. Spend time here, and you’ll understand this. 🇲🇽💚🤍♥️

[Lesli Yamilex @lesli_yamilexx]

Love seeing the posts of the English going to México City and talking about how amazing it is and how friendly the people are! 🇲🇽

Mexico City is easily my favorite city ❤️

[Alexia Grace @itsalexiagrace]

Mexico City is supposed to be “scary,” but from my experience so far I’ve honestly felt more unsafe walking the streets of London

[UTB @labay88]

The Mexico+England love in has cleansed my time line. Looks like the Ecuador fans been saying Mexico isn't welcoming and the Scottish have been saying the english will cause trouble. In reality. Mexicans and English both partying together while those 2 are being lying gob shites

[Gary Bischoff🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚒️ @gazbishbosh]

Well its the big day all, Mexico v England at the Azteca has to be in any football fans bucket list. No predictions but expect an incredible atmosphere here, bring it on, can england somehow quieten the partisan crowd, only time will tell🙏🤞⚽️🇲🇽🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #england #mexico

[Nick🔰🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 @Englander1512]

Mexico City is absolutely buzzing. Fantastic place and people. Tomorrow is going to be an all timer 🔥🇲🇽🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[Alex @alexdrummond95]

Mexico City, by far the best place I have visited. The Mexicans are class 🇲🇽

[David Copeland Smith @BeastModeSoccer]

Clash of the Titans tomorrow.
Mexico vs England.
The only thing we don't have in common is language.
Banter wise we are equal.
If you have any Mexicans in your life you know exactly what I mean.
I love England. I love Mexico.

[S1apSh0es @S1apSh0es]

We are two eagles hellbent on beating the shit out of Europeans.

[Julia Headley @juliaheadley]

Qué bonito los tweets que aparecen en mi timeline de los ingleses en Ciudad de México comiendo tacos, en las luchas, tomándose fotos afuera del Azteca..