No time for England to adapt to altitude – Tuchel
England head coach Thomas Tuchel says his team will have insufficient time to acclimatise to high-altitude conditions before their World Cup last-16 match against Mexico.
England's players will not have enough time to adapt to the challenges of playing at high altitude before their World Cup last-16 clash with Mexico, according to head coach Thomas Tuchel. The match is scheduled to take place at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium, which stands approximately 7,200 feet (around 2,200 metres) above sea level.
At such altitude, the lower barometric pressure results in thinner air, meaning less oxygen is taken into the bloodstream with each breath – a clear difficulty for athletes that could become a key factor in the game. Tuchel acknowledged that the altitude would be a significant disadvantage because the team cannot physically adapt in just three days between matches.
Research indicates that athletes competing at high altitude should spend a week or two living at that elevation to allow their bodies to acclimatise and produce more red blood cells. However, England will only arrive in Mexico City two days before the game.
In contrast, Mexico have played all four of their World Cup matches at high altitude – three at the Azteca Stadium and one in Guadalajara, which is about 5,000 feet (1,524 metres) above sea level – meaning their players are accustomed to the thinner air.
"That is just a huge advantage that Mexico will have," added Tuchel. "More obstacles may come, but we are ready for that. This is just something with which we will have to deal. And I think we showed the attitude that we are ready for that."
