The Mexican National Team has been particularly impressive, ruthlessly exploiting home advantage to produce one of the most dominant performances by a host nation in the modern era.
Mexico now pose a genuine threat to England, who have looked erratic and lacklustre throughout this 2026 World Cup — a far cry from the disciplined side seen during Thomas Tuchel's early tenure.
The iconic Estadio Azteca, a venue steeped in England's World Cup history, will provide a daunting backdrop that the Mexicans look to make the most of home advantage once again.
Fortress Mexico: Unbeaten on home soil
Mexico, exempt from the rigours of qualifying as co-hosts, have combined a demanding schedule of high-profile friendlies with a remarkable unbeaten run: since Javier Aguirre returned to lead 'El Tri', they have not tasted defeat on home soil.
Including their four consecutive victories at the World Cup — all played in Mexico — the side managed by Aguirre now boasts a formidable record of nine wins and four draws from their last 13 matches at home.
Aguirre's second spell began in Mexico with a 2-2 draw against Spanish side Valencia in a rare encounter between a national team and a club side. That clash in Puebla was followed by a 2-0 win over the United States in Guadalajara and a 4-0 demolition of Honduras in the Nations League.
Further preparation on home turf included 1-1 draws against Ecuador (Guadalajara), Uruguay (Torreon), and Portugal (Azteca), alongside convincing wins over Iceland (4-0, Queretaro), Ghana (2-0, Puebla), and Serbia (5-1, Toluca).
During the World Cup, Mexico have been dominant on home soil, brushing aside South Africa 2-0, the Czech Republic 3-0, and Ecuador 2-0. Their hard-fought 1-0 win over South Korea came in Guadalajara.
A historic start
The statistics make for impressive reading for Aguirre's men, who have swept through their first four matches, netting eight times without conceding a single goal.
In the history of the competition, only four other nations have won their opening four World Cup matches as hosts. The most recent to achieve the feat was Germany in 2010, who eventually reached the semi-finals.
That elite group also includes France in 1998 (who went on to lift the trophy), Italy in 1990 (semi-finalists), and Uruguay in the inaugural edition. While the format of that first tournament meant 'La Celeste' secured the title with just those four wins, the modern route is considerably more demanding.
Mexico head into the round of 16 thanks to that perfect start, and while they may not be outright favourites against England, their outstanding form has undoubtedly narrowed the gap. The stakes are high: the winner of this tie will face either Brazil or Norway in the quarter-finals.