Thomas Tuchel has admitted he immediately felt the effects of altitude after arriving in Mexico for England's World Cup last-16 match against the co-hosts. The Three Lions face Mexico at Azteca Stadium, which sits at around 7,200 feet above sea level.
Altitude Effects on England Squad
Speaking ahead of the match, Tuchel revealed he experienced a slight headache and disrupted sleep. 'You know what, we feel it, we feel it even if we don't train,' he said. 'I felt, for example, a slight headache in the hotel room through the day. Didn't sleep as well as the days before but nothing that you cannot handle and cannot adapt.'
England arrived in Mexico City on Friday evening, leaving insufficient time for proper acclimatisation. 'I think the players felt it in the first minutes of the training session and the longer it went, they could cope with it better. It is just what it is. We cannot physically adapt,' Tuchel added.
Mexico's Altitude Advantage
Mexico have played all four of their World Cup matches at high altitude, including three at Azteca Stadium and one in Guadalajara (around 5,000 feet). They are yet to concede a goal in the tournament. Tuchel acknowledged the challenge: 'It is not a coincidence that Mexico starts their matches normally at home very strong, very front-footed, very aggressively because I think the first 15-20 minutes will be maybe the toughest for us.'
Security and Disturbances
Earlier this week, Ecuador lodged a complaint with FIFA after Mexico fans disturbed their players with fireworks and car horns outside their team hotel before a last-32 defeat. Security has been increased at England's hotel, with a heavy police presence. Tuchel expressed confidence his team would not face similar issues. 'We had no issues last night, I think FIFA took care of the situation and we have security around the hotel, so we expect a good night of sleep,' he said.
He dismissed concerns about potential problems: 'I don't want to talk about problems that don't exist yet, it just feels not right. What I have experienced until now was very respectful and was very emotional but also very supportive towards our team.'
Kick-off Time Controversy
FIFA considered moving the match kick-off from 6pm local time (1am BST) to 12pm local time (7pm BST) before ultimately keeping the original schedule. Tuchel downplayed the distraction: 'Like so often, it is so much noise. When you are inside of the bubble, it is actually quite calm, quite focused. And the bigger the stages, the bigger the noises, the calmer the preparation.'
He added: 'We cannot influence it. Three-and-a-half hours later, you land in Mexico and the kick-off time stayed the same. It is just not worth losing our heads. Altitude, it is what it is. Home crowd, it is what it is. It is not in our favour.'
Team Spirit and Outlook
Despite the challenges, Tuchel remains positive about his squad's ability to overcome obstacles. 'We need to overcome obstacles but we have the spirit, we have the commitment, the pure will and the glue between the team to overcome these things. That's why I am positive. We know what's coming. The players will feel it, we will all feel it tomorrow when the energy is on. But that's also the beauty of it. We focus completely on what is possible to be influenced by us.'
