Declan Rice: Azteca Is Just Another Stadium, England Fear No Ghosts or Altitude

England are bracing for one of their toughest tests at this World Cup — a Round of 16 clash against co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Thomas Tuchel’s side know they will face a hostile crowd, thin air at 2,200 meters, and their own injury list, but they are refusing to be intimidated. For midfielder Declan Rice, the stadium’s storied past means nothing. It was here in 1986 that Diego Maradona scored his infamous “Hand of God” goal to knock England out of the quarterfinals. But this generation is not looking back. “We don't care where we play. It's just a stadium for us. Obviously Azteca is known for that moment and many others, but for us it's a job. It'll be incredible, but it's just another pitch,” Rice told the Lions’ Den. Mexico’s record at the Azteca is extraordinary — only two defeats in 89 official matches. England are returning there for the first time in 40 years. “It will be like an away game. They’ve played all their matches here so far, so we just need to go there and handle whatever comes,” Rice added. Injuries have complicated preparations. Tuchel is without Reece James (hamstring) and Jarell Quansah (ankle), forcing Rice to fill in at right-back during the previous game against DR Congo in Atlanta. Rice himself is far from 100 percent — he revealed he has been battling neural pain in his hamstring since Christmas and felt “horrible” during the Congo match. Still, he has told the coaching staff he is ready to play through the pain again for the team. The altitude has also been a talking point. Defender Ezri Konsa was visibly shocked when he learned the stadium sits at a height seven times that of London’s Shard skyscraper. “Seven times? No way. Is that true? No chance,” he said during a team quiz. Despite the surprise, Konsa remains upbeat: “We feel good, confident. We know it’ll be tough, but we just need to focus on ourselves.” FIFA had considered moving the kickoff six hours earlier due to severe weather risks but ultimately kept it at 6:00 PM local time (Monday 3:00 AM in Kyiv). England will hold a final training session in Mexico City on Saturday afternoon, followed by Tuchel and a player addressing the media at the Azteca.