Chinandega · Primera Division · Defender · #0 · Nicaragua · 35 yrs
England winger on his thirst for self-improvement, triumph at the Azteca and the ‘spiritual’ Thomas TuchelIt was a lighthearted moment – despite the language used – and Anthony Gordon saw the funny side. But trust the England winger to find a way to use it as fuel. It is what he does, what he has always done, since his childhood in Liverpool. It has helped him to reach the point where he completed a £60.7m transfer to Barcelona from Newcastle at the end of May. And it is driving him before Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway in Miami.Most people have seen the clip. There were 26 minutes on the clock at the Azteca Stadium on Sunday; England goalless against Mexico in the last 16. The Mexico manager, Javier Aguirre, who admits that swearing is second nature to him during matches, was in the mood to show off his English. He called out Gordon’s name and when the player turned around, he had a piece of advice. “Fuck you,” Aguirre shouted, before creasing up with laughter. Gordon did the same. Continue reading...
After defeating DR Congo, England face Mexico in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. Despite needing players who can beat defenders and provide a goal threat, head coach Thomas Tuchel has surprisingly decided to leave Marcus Rashford on the bench. Following a hard-fought Round of 32, England take on Mexico looking to dominate the match and make an impact in attack. Unlike their previous opponents, Thomas Tuchel’s team are facing a Javier Aguirre’s side that also excels offensively, featuring one of the tournament’s best wingers, Julian Quiñones. Even though England need pace and goals, they have decided to leave Marcus Rashford on the bench. Marcus Rashford is in peak physical condition after starting against DR Congo. As a result, Thomas Tuchel has decided to leave the 28-year-old star on the bench for tactical reasons. After failing to stand out in the previous match, the head coach has opted for a tactical adjustment in search of greater attacking efficiency. Despite looking set to shine after his impressive debut, Rashford has gone largely unnoticed in the team’s most recent matches. With his future still very much up in the air, Rashford is under pressure to impress and attract more clubs interested in signing him. However, he has scored just one goal, and his contributions to the team’s overall play have been fairly limited. He has a great opportunity to come on as a substitute and make a significant impact. If he manages to do so, he could return to the starting lineup should England advance to the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals. Head coach Thomas Tuchel has decided to start Anthony Gordon on the left wing. Although he has yet to score, he has been crucial with his pressing after losing possession and is coming off a two-assist performance against DR Congo. Facing a tough opponent like Mexico, his defensive work, creativity, and overall contribution will be essential. Because of this, Rashford faces a very difficult task if he wants to reclaim his place in the starting lineup. Marcus Rashford #11 of England runs with the ball. Marcus Rashford’s lack of impact could jeopardize his future After a solid season at Barcelona, Marcus Rashford arrived at the 2026 World Cup as one of England’s leading candidates to become one of the team’s stars. However, he has failed to make a real impact, going largely unnoticed throughout the tournament. With both Barcelona and Manchester United seemingly unwilling to keep him in their rosters, his underwhelming performances could significantly limit his professional future. Before the highly anticipated tournament, Rashford appeared to be attracting interest from clubs such as Bayern Munich and Juventus. However, his underwhelming performances could make those teams think twice about committing to a high transfer fee and his substantial salary, complicating negotiations with Manchester United. If Marcus wants to secure his future, he may need to produce his best form in the remaining matches of the tournament.
To face England in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16, Edson Alvarez turned into one of the main absences in Mexico's starting lineup. Mexico takes on England in the Round of 16 at the Estadio Azteca with a quarterfinal spot on the line, but one of El Tri‘s most recognizable names will not be in the starting eleven. Edson Alvarez is among the most notable absences from the lineup for such a high-stakes match. Alvarez has been left out of the starting XI due to a tactical decision by head coach Javier Aguirre. Fully fit and with three World Cup appearances already under his belt this tournament, Aguirre has opted to replicate the same lineup that faced Ecuador, meaning Alvarez will begin the match on the bench once again. Having been used both as a center back and as a holding midfielder against Czechia in earlier fixtures, Aguirre has gone in a different direction for this one. Cesar Montes, who wears the captain’s armband, and Johan Vasquez form the central defensive partnership, while Erik Lira gets the nod as the holding midfielder tasked with containing England. A major concern heading into the tournament had been Alvarez’s ankle injury, which required surgery earlier in 2026. Although the West Ham midfielder has made a full recovery, the lack of competitive minutes in the buildup to the World Cup appears to have cost him his place as an automatic starter for El Tri. ¡La #Alineación está lista! ⚔️Más que once, será un país entero que late con el mismo corazón y por la misma razón. ¡El momento es ahora! 🇲🇽#SomosMéxico pic.twitter.com/BzNb6wEWUT— Selección Nacional (@miseleccionmx) July 5, 2026 Estadio Azteca, Mexico’s fortress This Round of 16 clash also marks the last World Cup game to be played on Mexican soil, giving Aguirre’s side extra motivation to make the most of home advantage. The Estadio Azteca has been a true fortress for El Tri throughout the tournament, and historically it has been a nightmare venue for England. Mexico have gone 10 consecutive World Cup games unbeaten at the Azteca, claiming eight victories and drawing the other two. England, by contrast, have never won there in a World Cup, losing twice and drawing once in their three previous meetings with Mexico at the iconic stadium. England’s last visit to the Azteca in a World Cup came on June 22nd, 1986, a day that lives in infamy in soccer history. It was on that afternoon that Diego Maradona scored both the Hand of God and the Goal of the Century in Argentina’s quarterfinal win, a tournament the Albiceleste went on to claim.
Track Mexico's official updated 10th-place FIFA World Ranking, coefficient point totals, and knockout metrics before their World Cup Round of 16 clash with England. Expectations have completely shifted into overdrive across the host nation as the Round of 16 initiates a blockbuster scheduling block at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Having silenced early tournament skeptics by sweeping through their group and systematically handling Ecuador 2-0 in the initial elimination fixture, Mexico is set to defend home soil inside a buzzing Estadio Azteca. Fueled by an exceptional run of form on the big stage, Mexico has climbed to the 10th position in the FIFA Men’s World Ranking with an official live baseline of 1,754.30 points. The tactical hurdle standing between El Tri and a dream ticket to the quarterfinals features a premier European powerhouse built for tournament environments. England occupies the 4th spot globally on the official Inside FIFA leaderboard, packing an elite tier of 1,850.97 points under Thomas Tuchel. Comparing Seeds and Live Baselines Mexico built their current mathematical momentum by orchestrating a flawless structural run, advancing past the group stage and the Round of 32 without conceding a single goal. England, conversely, displayed their trademark execution window to bypass a resilient DR Congo team, locking down a highly balanced competitive profile. The table below breaks down the current baseline metrics and tournament records for the two remaining challengers: CountryFIFA RankTotal Points BaselinePrevious Round OutcomeEngland4th1,850.97Advanced (Defeated DR Congo 2-1)Mexico10th1,754.30Advanced (Defeated Ecuador 2-0) Historical Benchmarks Mexico’s current surge into 10th place represents a massive four-position jump since the tournament opened on June 11, marking their most stable stretch of global visibility in recent cycles. This serves as a significant recovery from their modern structural floor in July 2015, when developmental transitions saw them slip to 40th in the world. While Javier Aguirre’s unit is still chasing the nation’s all-time historic ceiling, briefly capturing 4th globally back in May 2006, their modern defensive setup has re-established them as an elite global presence.
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