England’s last memory of a competitive match at Estadio Azteca is not a pleasant one.
On June 22, 1986, during the quarterfinals of the World Cup, Argentina defeated England 2-1 en route to lifting the trophy.
That match remains etched in the memory of football fans worldwide, defined by the late Diego Maradona scoring two of the most famous — and contrasting — goals in the history of the sport: the Hand of God and the Goal of the Century.
In the first one, Maradona punched a loose ball past an advancing Peter Shilton with his left hand. Minutes later, the Argentina great controlled the ball in his own half and danced past half the England team to score what some consider to be the greatest World Cup goal in history.
“Everyone remembers that match; they are iconic goals — well, there were two iconic goals in this stadium,” England coach Thomas Tuchel said Saturday, a day before England was to meet Mexico in the Round of 16.
To commemorate Maradona’s feats, the stadium’s owners installed a plaque in one of the tunnels leading to the pitch. Tourists from all over — but especially Argentines — flock to take photos with it during regular tours of the venue when it's not hosting the World Cup.
“It’s something that still hurts; the wound is open, but we aren’t here for revenge,” Tuchel said.
Tuchel, who is coaching England in the World Cup for the first time, downplayed the historical baggage.
“It’s the same stadium, but not the same opponent — and even if it were, looking for revenge wouldn’t make sense,” Tuchel said. “We are here to write a new chapter.”
Forty years after that heartbreaking match, the narrative has shifted. This time, England’s adversary isn’t Argentina, but the host country.
Mexico will be backed by an raucous home crowd and will also look to take advantage of Estadio Azteca's altitude — more than 7,200 feet (2,200 meters) above sea level.
“It will take a lot of courage to put out a top performance against Mexico. But we have a brave team,” Tuchel said. “We have an experienced team and at the same time a young team who is ready to take these challenges.”
