England vs Mexico FIFA World Cup Round of 16: Here’s how England plan to beat noise, sleep disruption and altitude
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "England vs Mexico FIFA World Cup Round of 16: Here’s how England plan to beat noise, sleep disruption and altitude")
England football team Photograph: (AFP)
England are using sleep aids and early arrival plans ahead of their Mexico World Cup clash, with Tuchel warning altitude will be a major disadvantage
England are taking extensive precautions ahead of their FIFA World Cup last-16 clash against Mexico in Mexico City, aiming to protect players from disrupted sleep, hostile conditions and high altitude challenges. Thomas Tuchel’s side will face Mexico on Sunday and the squad are arriving in the capital on Friday to allow two nights of preparation before the knockout fixture. The decision marks a shift from England’s usual schedule, where the squad typically arrives only a day before matches. This time, however, the team will spend additional time acclimatising and preparing for conditions both on and off the pitch.
Concerns have grown following reports of disruption experienced by Ecuador’s squad during the last-32 stage. Ecuador lodged a complaint to FIFA after claiming their players were deliberately kept awake by Mexico supporters using loudspeakers, horns and motorcycles outside their hotel late at night. England are keeping their hotel location undisclosed, but there is concern it could be leaked on social media, potentially exposing the squad to similar disturbances. To mitigate risks, players and staff who have not brought their own sleep equipment will be provided with natural sleep remedies and white noise machines to help ensure rest is not affected.
The team’s schedule has also been adjusted due to FIFA regulations requiring a partially open training session the day before matches. England previously held such sessions in Kansas, but will now train locally in Mexico. Another major challenge awaits on the pitch: the extreme altitude of Mexico City, which sits at approximately 2,240 metres above sea level. Reduced oxygen levels at this height can significantly impact performance, particularly for players who are not acclimatised.
Mexico have benefited from playing all their World Cup matches at high altitude, including fixtures at the Estadio Azteca and Guadalajara, which also sits at elevated conditions. Sports science suggests athletes require one to two weeks at altitude to properly adapt and increase red blood cell production, time England do not have.
Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the challenge, admitting his side will be at a physical disadvantage. "The altitude will be a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it," said Tuchel. "And in four days, it's just impossible. More obstacles may come, but we are ready for that. “My understanding is that we cannot adapt to the altitude. That is just a huge advantage that Mexico will have.”
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"It just takes too much time. We have only three days in between these matches. It's physically just not possible to adapt to the altitude, which is quite high. We knew that before. “This is just something with which we will have to deal with. And I think we showed the attitude that we are ready for that.” England now face a complex preparation period as they attempt to balance rest, travel, and adaptation ahead of one of their toughest World Cup tests.
