World Cup 2026: England get hostile reception in Mexico City as last 16 begins; Cape Verde give huge scare to Argentina – live

Marc Guehi considers Mexico favourites for England’s World Cup last-16 clash at the Estadio Azteca.

The reward for Wednesday’s 2-1 comeback win against the Democratic Republic of Congo is Sunday’s mouthwatering last-16 tie in Mexico City.

A hostile atmosphere and high altitude await Thomas Tuchel’s men in Mexico, where England defender Guehi makes the Euro 2024 runners-up underdogs against the World Cup co-hosts.

“We know they’re a good team and they’ve got the fans on their side, so it’ll be going into the cauldron,” the England defender told Fifa. “But it’ll be a fun test. I’d say they’re kind of favourites. They’re at home and they know the environment a lot better. They haven’t conceded so far and have got a perfect record.

“You come to these competitions to play against top teams, in top atmospheres. It’s a match we’re all looking forward to.”

Alexander Abnos on why this USA team is worth celebrating.

So in the US, what is our reason to cheer the US at a time when we are led by a government despised at home and abroad? How do we put the ICE raids and the attacks on other countries and the mistreatment of so many of our fellow Americans aside and allow ourselves to feel patriotic for 90 minutes, plus extra time, and – God forbid – penalties too?

I’m half-English on my mum’s side and half Mexican-American. This [game against England] is probably the worst of all scenarios for me. I was born in the US but grew up in England so have always been an England supporter as well as Mexico. But the older I get, and the more I visit Mexico, the greater appreciation and pride I have for my Mexican roots. I don’t recall there being as big a level of excitement or togetherness as there has been this time. Mexico don’t have any world-class players, so team cohesion is key. And the Mexico fans have truly been a 12th man, more than I’ve ever seen.

Were some of these written at 5.30am by a man questioning his life choices? There’s only one way to find out.

What do you do as an England fan in Mexico City with some time to kill? Of course you go to watch the wrestling.

It was a striking image, the picture that best captured France’s World Cup campaign to this point. Not the one that caught Michael Olise in full flight as he executed a perfect bicycle kick that only sprang ungratefully off a Swedish post. Nor the one of the squad posing together on their private jet, turqoise hoods drawn tight to their chins. Instead it was the one of the hug, first between Kylian Mbappé and Didier Deschamps, and then with the rest of the squad too, as they celebrated the opening goal of their 3-0 last-32 victory over Sweden in a purposeful manner.

More Messi magic yesterday. That man knows the way to goal. Who is challenging him for the Golden Boot? Find out here …

I’ve always thought a Saturday Kitchen Live live blog would do good business on a weekend. People could argue over the recipes, rate Matt Tebbutt’s intros out of 10 etc and so forth. If Lifestyle are reading, I am available.

We had fish tacos last night and I am now using the leftover guacamole with some eggs. I assume I will be deported before the match against Mexico because I am showing my true colours.

As it looks like the England match is not moving from a 1am kick-off on Monday. Do send in how you are planning to watch. Out and about? At home? Will the kids be allowed to stay up? Have you booked Monday off or will you be WFH?

Declan Rice says England are ready to cope with whatever Mexico throw at them in Sunday’s World Cup encounter at the electric Estadio Azteca.

From unabated hostility to playing at high altitude, Thomas Tuchel’s side expect to face a variety of obstacles as they seek to keep alive their quest to join Sir Alf Ramsey’s 1966 heroes in immortality.

England dealt with an additional headache just before flying to Mexico City as Fifa discussed whether to move the last-16 clash to an earlier kick-off time due to the risk of weather disruption.

Tuchel’s team landed on Friday to news that the game would stay at 6pm local (1am on Monday in the UK) rather than be brought forwards six hours, with more fun and games potentially in store before the tie starts.

“It’s kind of going to be like an away game for us,” England midfielder Rice said. “They’ve played every game in Mexico so far, been at home the whole tournament, so for us it’s just being able to go there and deal with what’s going to be thrown at us.”

Mexico boast an astonishing record at the Azteca, having lost just two of their 89 competitive matches at a ground England play at for the first time since Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ helped Argentina to a 2-1 quarter-final win. PA Media

How does altitude affect performance? Nicola Davis has the answer.

Max Rushden on Bolivian farmers and altitude.

The Azteca is around 2,200m above sea level – which means Dan Burn will be 2,202 metres above sea level. Presumably the Mexican hotel will give him a toddler single bed, legs poking out of the open window as the home fans’ car horns beep all night. We saw what happened to the Ecuador lads. How noise cancelling can noise-cancelling headphones get? How many decoy hotels do England need to get a good night’s sleep?

Barney Ronay is primed for the big one in Mexico City. Is this when England finally come good?

Croatia were physically overwhelmed. Ghana were not. Panama took England down into a pit of pain. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were slick, fearless and a bit unlucky. Through all this the lurking feeling has been: OK, when will it start? No, I mean really start. When will it hit the groove? When do they need to actually be good?

We shall have a look forward to the England game. Yesterday was all a bit silly as rumours began circulating about the change to the kick-off time in Mexico. My phone was pinging with school dads excited to not to have to stay up until 3am BST to watch the game in its entirety.

Now the plan for one father is to watch Brazil v Norway and then Mike Bassett England Manager before England starts. Other ideas can be found here …

Jonathan Wilson has taken a look at the African teams in the tournament and whether they have, in fact, underperformed.

Nine African sides made it through their groups, and those who had insisted Caf deserved better could claim vindication. Uefa and Conmebol, the South American federation, got 13 and five sides through to the last 32 respectively. It was Asia and, surprisingly, North and Central America who underperformed, only Japan and Australia making it through from the AFC and only the three hosts from Concacaf. In that regard, this has been an excellent World Cup for Africa, even if Tunisia did turn in one of the worst performances by any side in history. By falling behind after seven minutes then four minutes and three minutes in their three games, they broke Mexico’s 96-year-old record for most time spent trailing in a World Cup, taking the mark from 240 minutes to a remarkable 256.

The latest World Cup Daily has landed. Get Max and Baz in your ears now!

Australia lost to Egypt on penalties in one of the more disastrous shootout cock ups. Changing goalkeepers is a bold move, especially when Mat Ryan made a right Shilton of himself.

Jonathan Wilson was there.

Some comforting words from Zlatan.

Jack Snape was left to ponder what could have been.

Jurgen Klopp is the obvious – and best – choice for Germany. They were pretty mediocre throughout the competition, getting lucky against Cote d’Ivoire, then succumbing to Ecuador and Paraguay. I am impressed than Nagelsmann felt it could carry on.

Jürgen Klopp has confirmed he’s in negotiations to take over as Germany coach and says he’s “recharged” the energy he was missing when he left Liverpool.

Klopp is the German soccer federation’s preferred candidate after Julian Nagelsmann resigned Friday, four days after Germany lost on penalties to Paraguay in the World Cup round of 32.

“Julian has stepped down and the (federation) is working on the succession and has approached me in the course of those considerations,” said Klopp, speaking from New York on German broadcaster Magenta TV in his role as a World Cup commentator late Friday.

We will move along to Fifa kick-off tombola in a bit but we shall run through the rest of Friday’s action.

I think I speak for many football fans when I celebrate Ghana’s elimination as they were pretty much unwatchable.

Ed Aarons witnessed their demise to Colombia in Kansas.

Thanks David. Total Editorial from the Guardian sports desk this morning as we react to the situation. We can play in many positions and it often bamboozles the opposition.

In an early tactical reshuffle, Will Unwin (better adjusted to altitude) will now take over while I catch my breath. Lots more to come from last night’s games, including Australia really botching their penalty shootout against Egypt.

A game like that deserves its own photo gallery so we’ve obliged. Some crackers in the set below.

“We did our best and we did it with bravery. Never did we fail to stay true to our identity, which is why I am so proud of what my players did.” The words of Cape Verde coach Bubista after his team gave Lionel Messi and Argentina a mighty scare in Miami.

Rival boss Lionel Scaloni, taking charge of his country for the 100th time, was a relieved man. “We suffered a very difficult game, we are still here but it won’t be easy, this is a very difficult World Cup. I hope the fans can have a drink now to relax for a bit.”

More quotes here from last night’s 3-2 epic.

There’s only one place to start – that World Cup classic between Argentina and Cape Verde. Here’s Barney Ronay (who watched it unfold at the Miami Stadium) on how the tiny island nation took the World Cup holders to the brink.

“Cape Verde, once again, were not done. They pressed, won three corners in quick succession. And with 102 minutes on the clock made it 2-2, with a moment of startling brilliance from Sydney Lopes Cabral, a goal that felt like one of the great World Cup moments, shades of Josimar ‘86, mixed with François Omam-Biyik, 1990 and all that.

“Cabral took the ball way out on the left, nipped inside, measured his strides, and produced the most beautifully pure right foot shot into the far corner past Emiliano Martínez, the ball seeming to hang in the damp Florida air, a perfect white orb, following that delicious parabola into the far corner.”

Hello and welcome to live coverage of day 24 at the World Cup. We’ll have reaction to a thrilling day 23 and build-up to the first matches of the last 16: Canada v Morocco and Paraguay v France.