Not England's year: Hamza
An already feverish football nation has been completely galvanised by Mexico's perfect campaign, but England will look to spoil the party as they continue their pursuit of a first World Cup trophy since 1966 when the two sides clash in a blockbuster Round of 16 tie at the iconic Azteca Stadium tonight.
Javier Aguirre’s side are riding a massive wave of momentum after topping Group A without conceding a single goal, before passing their trickiest test yet in the Round of 32 by completely overwhelming a high-flying Ecuador 2-0 with slick work in transition.
In order to reach the quarterfinals at a third straight edition of the tournament, England must pass this stern test against the co-hosts. History presents a mixed bag for the Three Lions. This will be just the fourth time England have faced a host nation at a World Cup. They have previously beat Switzerland 2-0 in 1954, played a goalless draw with Spain in 1982, and suffered a painful 2-1 defeat against Italy in 1990.
On the flip side, England can draw confidence from their recent head-to-head record against Mexico, having won their last four meetings -- all in friendly matches between 1986 and 2010.
However, Mexico boast an impervious record at the Azteca, never losing a World Cup match at the venue with eight wins and two draws, and winning each of their last six in a row.
Aside from the hostile atmosphere, the unique conditions of the venue present a significant hurdle for the visitors. Sitting approximately 2,200 metres above sea level, the high altitude forces players to contend with lower blood oxygen levels, while the thinner air slightly affects the flight of the ball -- factors England have not had the requisite time to adapt to.
Despite the daunting environment, England showed immense character in the Round of 32, securing a hard-fought 2-1 comeback win over DR Congo thanks to a brilliant brace from Harry Kane. England's fortunes tonight will largely rest on their primary protagonists, Kane and Jude Bellingham. The prolific duo are doing the business this summer, with Kane hunting another Golden Boot and Bellingham masterfully carrying the weight of expectation. In tandem, they seem determined to thrust the Three Lions toward their second World Cup crown, and they will absolutely relish this mighty test.
Speaking during the 'bKash Presents The Dream Cup with Hamza' show, Bangladesh star footballer Hamza Choudhury praised England's potential but suggested this might not be their ultimate coronation year.
"My prediction for England is that they've got a good chance as always. A very talented side. I think they're in a bit of a transitional period right now. Maybe not all the players fit that they'd like to. I don't think it's going to be the year that they win it. But you know with knockout football we go anyway. So they've got a chance for sure. I think my prediction is that they get to the semifinal," Hamza said.
The Bangladesh midfielder highlighted that key individual performances would be crucial for England to turn the tide in such a demanding environment.
"I think the vital player... there's obviously Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham," Hamza said.
"As a midfielder, although there are probably a lot of specialists in the game, but for me, Bellingham affects the game in both boxes. He makes very big tackles, and he also scores very big goals. For me, he is definitely a complete footballer."
"Jordan Pickford's a very big player for England. Mark Guehi had a very good season for Manchester City, so hopefully he can now perform on the world stage. They've got so many talented players in that team, so if England want to turn it on, they can be a very dangerous team," he added.
With tournament survival on the line, England's star-studded squad will need to turn it on completely to shatter Mexico's altitude advantage, silence the home crowd, and keep their historic dream alive.
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