What Mexico fans feel about the World Cup – and England
Ahead of their crunch last-16 match, we spoke to Mexicans and people living in the country about their experience and expectations of their tournament
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Mexico face England in the round of 16 after four games, four wins and not a single goal conceded so far at the World Cup. We asked fans about the mood in Mexico, how they feel about their campaign so far, and their score predictions for the game on Sunday at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
‘My expectations were blown away’
Living in the heart of Mexico City during a historic home World Cup has been incredible. Everyone is so excited, celebrating in the streets. Even people coming from other countries are wearing Mexico’s shirt. My expectations were completely blown away by how dominant our national team has been. There is usually so much anxiety and scepticism before a tournament, but winning four straight matches without conceding a goal changed everything. Looking ahead to the England game, the excitement is unreal.
While international media might label England the favourites, we are playing with massive confidence, and the unique energy and altitude of the Azteca give us a true home advantage. Historically, the national team carries a lot of tactical inconsistency but they are playing with immense composure. It’s a very tactical, grounded style of football that values control over chaos. I predict Mexico will beat England 2-1. England has a star-studded squad, but they’ve looked vulnerable under pressure, whereas our defence has been unbreakable so far. Lucia Berlanga, 34, Mexico City
‘They have the whole nation dreaming’
It is a mix of feelings. We are obviously excited about being hosts and playing most of our games at home, but every game raises the stress. The amount of pressure they feel must be enormous. From what I see on social media, the host cities are having a blast. I do feel bad for the people that had to go to support their country in the US instead of Mexico. I am certain they did not have as much fun as the people that came to our country. The vibe and the passion is like nothing else in the world and we treat visitors as brothers. Our team have played the most beautiful football I have ever seen for a national side. It’s our first time winning every single group stage game. These boys are onto something huge. They have the whole nation dreaming. We have the youngest player of tournament, Gilberto Mora – that kid is a beast on the field.
England is a pretty solid contender for the title. This is 100% our toughest match of the tournament. Too bad Mexico is on their way and they are playing at the Azteca. I see Mexico as favourites, winning 2-1. Mexico has gone from an average team to serious contenders. I see them winning their first World Cup. Viva Mexico cabrones! Mauricio Cervantes, 33, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
‘I’m half English and half Mexican-American – this is the worst scenario’
I don’t live in Mexico but I have been there many times and have followed Mexico in every World Cup since 1986. I’m half-English on my mum’s side and half Mexican-American. This [game against England] is probably the worst of all scenarios for me. I was born in the US but grew up in England so have always been an England supporter as well as Mexico. But the older I get, and the more I visit Mexico, the greater appreciation and pride I have for my Mexican roots. I don’t recall there being as big a level of excitement or togetherness as there has been this time. Mexico don’t have any world-class players, so team cohesion is key. And the Mexico fans have truly been a 12th man, more than I’ve ever seen.
I think this match is a 50-50. England clearly have better players. But the fact that the game is in Mexico City, and there’s something that just feels special about El Tri this year, makes me think this will be a true toss-up – 2-1 Mexico. Carlos Rodriguez, 51, Connecticut, USA
‘This team managed to lift up the general spirit’
People in general and football fans in particular have been very disappointed at professional football lately in Mexico. Lots of politics, and a national situation that doesn’t help. However, this team managed to lift up the general spirit. There’s this feeling of vindication with all the social media posts from visitors comparing the World Cup experience in USA, Canada and Mexico. The mood has been festive and unexpectedly inclusive: a lot of people who didn’t care at all about the cup or were disenchanted in previous years are starting to get into the mood. The team has performed better than expected. It seems that internal league politics have been less influential this time. Against England, I foresee a very fast-paced match at the beginning, with both teams rushing for an early goal. I hope Mexico wins 1-0 or 2-1 in the official 90 minutes, but I am very biased. Ray Hall, 55, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
‘After England’s game against Ghana, I thought: we can beat them’
I’m very excited about the match against England on Sunday. After I saw the game against Ghana, I really thought: well, we can beat them. It’s a very short period of time for the England players to get used to the altitude. I hope we win but, if not, I will be rooting for England and I hope they are the champions, or at least beat Argentina. The mood is very festive and confident because our team has been playing really well. We really thought this was going to be a disaster, and it has been a success. The infrastructure has held up, and the team is playing much better than we thought.
I am old enough to have experienced several World Cups including 1986, when we hosted the whole tournament. I went to watch several games and I am no expert but I think this is the best I have seen the Mexican team perform. I bet it will be a 2 to 1 win for Mexico, but I think either France or Spain will win the cup. Lucy Mena, Mexico City
‘This feels like a different generation of Mexican football’
I don’t usually follow football outside international tournaments, but I always enjoy the World Cup. Not everyone was excited at first, but as Mexico has progressed the atmosphere has completely changed. More and more people have become emotionally invested in the team. The experience has been different from what I expected. Before the tournament, many of us felt disconnected from this squad because we didn’t know many of the players. Instead, there’s been a real sense of unity.
As the tournament has gone on, we’ve become attached to this team and have started following the players more closely. The match against Ecuador showed what they can achieve when they play as a team. This feels like a different generation of Mexican football, and I think it has become one of our most memorable national teams. Our phrase in Mexico has become ¿Y si sí? (“What if we actually can?”), and that’s exactly how I feel. My prediction is a 1-0 win for Mexico or, in the best-case scenario, 2-0. We have a fantastic goalkeeper, Tala, and that gives me confidence. My heart says Mexico will reach the final. Diana López, 25, Mexico City

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