MEXICO CITY — has identified this matchup was all the time a robust risk. Ever for the reason that teams had been drawn on Dec. 5 of final 12 months, ‘s No. 9 realized that if issues performed out the best way they need to, El Tri could be on a collision course with within the spherical of 16 on .
The stakes could not be larger for each groups. Mexico his one win away from reaching the quarterfinals for the primary time since 1986, the final time they hosted a World Cup. Mix that with the environment of Estadio Azteca — the very website the place England suffered a defeat to by the hands of Diego Maradona 40 years in the past and is returning to play in Mexico Metropolis for the primary time since — and you haven’t solely one of many extra intriguing spherical of 16 matchups, however some of the necessary matches within the historical past of Mexican soccer.
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“We’re conscious of what this sport means to us, what it means for all Mexicans,” Jiménez stated. “And we’re fairly assured that we are able to go play with them.”
Jiménez, who has scored twice for El Tri by means of their 4 matches this match, is aware of his subsequent opponent higher than most. He is spent the final eight years of his profession within the Premier League, battling with Wolverhampton and and scoring 88 targets in the very best league on the planet.
The recommendation No. 9 has imparted onto his teammates?
“The straightforward reality of letting them know that we aren’t lower than,” he stated. “That we are able to compete from one to the following, that we are able to play a great sport. We’ve got the assist of all of the followers right here in Mexico, of El Azteca.”
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At 7,350 ft above sea stage, El Coloso de Santa Úrsula presents a novel problem for any customer, not to mention the Three Lions whose base camp has been in Kansas Metropolis, the place the typical elevation is 909 ft. England had a coaching session in Mexico Metropolis on Saturday, however supervisor Thomas Tuchel has repeated that it will not be potential for his squad to acclimate to the altitude in two days.
That is why Jiménez identified that they should come out simply as quick as they did so efficiently towards within the spherical of 32, tiring out their opponent and leaving them gasping for air early earlier than they will even understand it. With a nationwide workforce as extremely touted as England’s, it’s essential take full benefit of your property stadium. The group already will not make it simple on them.
“We all know that you just needn’t analyze them lots to know that they are an important nationwide workforce,” he stated. “They’re an important workforce with many individualities but additionally collectively and that to win this match, now we have to need it greater than them.”
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Luka Modric #10 of Croatia and teammates react after the 1-2 loss through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical of 32 match between Portugal and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on July 2, 2026 in Toronto.
(Mattia Ozbot, Getty Pictures)
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Luka Modric #10 of Croatia and teammates react after the 1-2 loss through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical of 32 match between Portugal and Croatia at Toronto Stadium on July 2, 2026 in Toronto.
(Mattia Ozbot, Getty Pictures)
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Derrick Luckassen #23 of Ghana reacts after the 0-1 loss through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical of 32 match between Colombia and Ghana at Kansas Metropolis Stadium on July 03, 2026 in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri.
(David Ramos, Getty Pictures)
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Vozinha #1 and Kevin Pina #6 of Cabo Verde react after the 2-3 loss through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical of 32 match between Argentina and Cabo Verde, on July 3, 2026 in Miami.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Pictures)
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Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Kerim Alajbegovic seems to be dejected after the match as Bosnia and Herzegovina are eradicated from the World Cup.
(David Gonzales, IMAGN IMAGES through Reuters)
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Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Kerim Alajbegovic seems to be dejected after the match as Bosnia and Herzegovina are eradicated from the World Cup.
(David Gonzales, IMAGN IMAGES through Reuters)
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Pathe Ciss #6 of Senegal is consoled by Amadou Onana #24 of Belgium after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical Of 32 match between Belgium and Senegal at Seattle Stadium on July 1, 2026 in Seattle.
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Pictures)
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Gamers of England have fun the workforce’s 2-1 victory whereas Fiston Mayele #19 of Congo DR exhibits dejection after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical Of 32 match between England and Congo DR at Atlanta Stadium on July 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(Robert Cianflone, Getty Pictures)
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Cedric Bakambu #17 of Congo DR reacts after the workforce’s 1-2 defeat within the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical Of 32 match between England and Congo DR at Atlanta Stadium on July 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(Megan Briggs, Getty Pictures)
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Sweden’s defender Gustaf Lagerbielke reacts after shedding the 2026 World Cup spherical of 32 soccer match between France and Sweden on the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 30, 2026.
(JEWEL SAMAD, AFP through Getty Pictures)
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Viktor Gyokeres #17 of Sweden and teammates applaud followers after the 0-3 loss through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical Of 32 match between France and Sweden at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 30, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
(Buda Mendes, Getty Pictures)
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Amad Diallo #15 of Cote d’Ivoire reacts after the 1-2 loss through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical Of 32 match between Cote d’Ivoire and Norway at Dallas Stadium on June 30, 2026 in Arlington, Texas.
(Alex Slitz, Getty Pictures)
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Patrick Berg #6 of Norway celebrates after the 2-1 win as Yahia Fofana #1 of Cote d’Ivoire reacts through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical Of 32 match between Cote d’Ivoire and Norway at Dallas Stadium on June 30, 2026 in Arlington, Texas.
(Alex Slitz, Getty Pictures)
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(From L) Netherlands’ defender #02 Lutsharel Geertruida, midfielder #26 Quinten Timber and midfielder #14 Tijjani Reijnders react after shedding within the shootout through the 2026 World Cup spherical of 32 soccer match between the Netherlands and Morocco on the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe on June 29, 2026.
(CARL DE SOUZA, AFP through Getty Pictures)
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Germany’s ahead #07 Kai Havertz reacts after shedding the penalty shootout of the 2026 World Cup spherical of 32 soccer match between Germany and Paraguay on the Boston Stadium in Foxborough on June 29, 2026.
(CHARLY TRIBALLEAU, AFP through Getty Pictures)
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Germany’s defender #05 Aleksandar Pavlovic and defender #18 Nathaniel Brown react after shedding the penalty shootout of the 2026 World Cup spherical of 32 soccer match between Germany and Paraguay on the Boston Stadium in Foxborough on June 29, 2026.
(ODD ANDERSEN, AFP through Getty Pictures)
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Germany’s midfielder #20 Nadiem Amiri reacts after shedding the penalty shootout of the 2026 World Cup spherical of 32 soccer match between Germany and Paraguay on the Boston Stadium in Foxborough on June 29, 2026.
(JEWEL SAMAD, AFP through Getty Pictures)
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A Germany fan reacts after the penalty shootout loss through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical Of 32 match between Germany and Paraguay at Boston Stadium on June 29, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Pictures)
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Kai Havertz #7 of Germany reacts after the penalty shootout loss through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical Of 32 match between Germany and Paraguay at Boston Stadium on June 29, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
(Robert Cianflone, Getty Pictures)
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A Japan fan reacts after the 1-2 loss through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical Of 32 match between Brazil and Japan at Houston Stadium on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
(Alex Slitz, Getty Pictures)
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Daizen Maeda #11, Shuto Machino #6 and Yuto Nagatomo #5 of Japan react after the 1-2 loss through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Spherical Of 32 match between Brazil and Japan at Houston Stadium on June 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
(Alex Slitz, Getty Pictures)
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South Africa’s ahead #07 Oswin Appollis reacts after shedding the 2026 World Cup spherical of 32 soccer match between South Africa and Canada on the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 28, 2026.
(ETIENNE LAURENT, AFP through Getty Pictures)
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Ronwen Williams #1 and Khuliso Mudau #20 of South Africa look dejected after the workforce’s defeat and their aspect’s elimination from the FIFA World Cup 2026 after the Spherical Of 32 match between South Africa and Canada at Los Angeles Stadium on June 28, 2026 in Inglewood, Calif
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Pictures)
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Khuliso Mudau #20 of South Africa seems to be dejected after the workforce’s defeat and his aspect’s elimination from the FIFA World Cup 2026 after the Spherical Of 32 match between South Africa and Canada at Los Angeles Stadium on June 28, 2026 in Inglewood, Calif.
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Pictures)
One of many Three Lions’ greatest weaknesses all through this World Cup has been their again line, which ought to depart Jiménez and Mexico’s main scorer Julián Quiñones chomping on the bit to get out in area within the attacking third. Much more engaging for Jiménez? The Three Lions’ goalkeeper is , the keeper that he is scored essentially the most usually towards in his profession with six targets in six video games performed towards him.
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That, nevertheless, hasn’t essentially been on the 35-year-old striker’s thoughts in any respect recently.
“I feel that the goalkeeper in entrance of us, that’s the least of it,” he stated. “If we put it on the angles like the opposite day, there isn’t a goalkeeper that may cease it. That’s all the time necessary. He’s an important goalkeeper, too, that’s why he’s additionally been within the Premier League so lengthy and he’s the ’s beginning goalkeeper for a purpose.”
Mexico supervisor Javier Aguirre first met Jiménez when he was at and was instantly struck by the younger ahead’s humility, which he says has remained unchanged as he is watched his profession unfold.
“He’s a child that regardless of having these years in the very best league on the planet, for my part, he’s nonetheless the identical individual he was when he left,” Aguirre stated. ” … He retains being the identical man that I met who is aware of, a ton of years in the past. He’s right here as yet another helps as yet another, he behaves as yet another. He’s not a clown or a diva, or nevertheless you wanna say it.”
That is a standard thread all through this Mexico workforce, and it is by design. Aguirre would not separate coaching classes into starters and reserves, everybody’s getting reps collectively as a result of they are often plugged into the lineup at any time. The gamers refer to one another as household however after they say it, there is a stage of authenticity that makes it come off as greater than only a cliche.
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Jiménez acknowledged that each one of many 4 World Cup squads he is been part of has felt shut, however this 12 months’s workforce particularly so. Possibly it is the truth that they’ve spent nearly each waking second collectively at el Centro de Alto Rendimiento since early Might, he is not completely positive. However he’s positive that that is essentially the most united he is ever seen El Tri in his 13 years since his first cap.
And they’ll want each little bit of that to beat England.
“We’ve got to know that it gained’t be something simple, however it may be carried out,” Jiménez stated. “Nobody is invincible.”