England returns to Azteca Stadium after forty years: memory of 'Hand of God' lives on
Forty years after their dramatic elimination at the hands of Maradona's 'Hand of God' in 1986, England are once again playing at the iconic Azteca Stadium. National coach Thomas Tuchel looks back on the trauma and mentions the challenges of the thin air in Mexico City, even mentioning the use of Viagra as an aid.
For the first time since the legendary 1986 World Cup, England returns to the mythical Azteca Stadium. At the time, Diego Maradona, with his infamous 'Hand of God' and a phenomenal solo goal, appeared to be responsible for a deep trauma for the English, who were eliminated in the quarter-finals and returned home. Argentina eventually won the world title, but the match has remained in the collective memory of football forever.
All of England is now looking forward to the round of 16 against Mexico, which will again take place in the impressive Azteca Stadium at an altitude of 2,000 meters. National coach Thomas Tuchel was repeatedly confronted with questions about that one unforgettable moment during the press conference. "I remember that moment so clearly," said Tuchel, who as a young football fan also saw the final between Argentina and his native Germany (3-2 for Argentina) in the same stadium. "It is and remains an iconic stadium. Now playing here again and against the host country makes it extra special."
Yet the focus is not only on the past. Playing at high altitude poses some challenges for England due to the thin air. The advice that English media such as TalkSport gave to the selection is striking, to say the least: the use of Viagra, which is not on the doping list, is suggested as an aid because it dilates the blood vessels and thus improves oxygen absorption in the lungs. For England it means adapting to conditions in Mexico City anyway, hoping for a very different chapter in their Azteca history.
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