The historic Mexico City Stadium bids farewell to this edition of the World Cup on Saturday local time, when it hosts the anticipated clash between Mexico and England.

The two teams meet in a highly anticipated round of 16 match in the World Cup currently being held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, as both seek a place in the quarter-finals.

German Thomas Tuchel, the head coach of England, said: 'It's an appropriate moment to reconcile with this stadium. It will reward us.'

Tuchel's comments came after England's hard-fought 2-1 win over DR Congo on Wednesday in the round of 32, setting up a date with Mexico in the capital Mexico City in the next round.

Tuchel spoke of the Mexico City Stadium as if it were a living being, capable of reward and punishment. This statement alone shows how deeply the stadium's history is rooted in the memory of those who were once just fans or grew up on stories told by those before them, and today are writing their own chapters on the world stage.

Before this edition, the last World Cup match hosted by this legendary stadium was the 1986 final, when the late Argentine star Diego Maradona reached the peak of glory with his country after setting up the winning goal for teammate Jorge Burruchaga against West Germany.

In that same edition, England lost to Argentina in the quarter-finals in an unforgettable match. Today, the two stories intersect again, with Tuchel acknowledging that he believes in 'karma'—that what one sows, one reaps later.

Even then, the Mexican crowd had mastered the art of intimidating opponents. They contributed to spreading the 'Mexican wave' globally, an idea that originated in the United States. Their vocal impact and collective rhythm showed their ability to move the entire stadium at will, and they added chants that became part of popular culture, still present today.

Mexico coach Aguirre believes playing in Mexico City gives extra strength (AFP).

Although many of the stadium's greatest moments were not in favor of the home side, the relationship between Mexican fans and the stadium has evolved over the years to become almost a complete unity.

After a four-year renovation project that preserved the stadium's spirit, the Mexico City Stadium (formerly Azteca) welcomed 80,824 spectators in each of coach Javier Aguirre's team's three matches, with very limited presence of opposing fans, creating an atmosphere and pressure on opponents even before the kick-off.

Aguirre said, praising the importance of fan support, in remarks published on FIFA's official website: 'The biggest difference, without a doubt, is playing at home. It's our 12th player. We know the whole country is behind us, and that gives us immense motivation.'

Mexico has won all its four World Cup matches so far, sparking raucous celebrations on the pitch. After the 2-0 win over Ecuador, pictures and videos spread of players singing and embracing with the fans, raising a simple question: Were the fans singing to the players, or were the players singing to the fans?

Fans interact with great enthusiasm with the team, constantly chanting famous national songs.

The impact of the atmosphere and stadium has become a key topic of discussion in both countries. During their talk on BBC, former English internationals Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney warned that playing at this historic stadium in front of this passionate crowd will be England's toughest test in the tournament.

The Mexican stands... the home side's most prominent weapon against the English (Reuters).

For his part, Javier Hernández stated on Fox Sports, speaking about the importance of playing at the historic Azteca Stadium: 'What that legendary stadium represents, the atmosphere you feel when it's full of Mexicans. Additionally, the pitch is tough due to the altitude and the physical fatigue it causes. Of course, that makes the task even harder.'

The visual archives, stories from that era, and the events themselves have created an aura of mystery around this colossal edifice that has opened its doors to the world again. Ahead of the round of 16 clash, which will be the last match of the tournament on Mexican soil before the competition moves entirely to the United States, anticipation has reached its peak.

Tuchel revealed, referring to some challenges his team will face against Mexico: 'We will face an entire country, and we will play in front of a full stadium on their home turf.'

This comes at a time when Mexico has not lost any World Cup match on home soil, while its last defeat there dates back to 2013 against Honduras in the final round of CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Álvaro Fidalgo wrote on his Instagram account after scoring his first goal for Mexico against Czech Republic: 'Once it chooses you, it never leaves you.'

Perhaps he meant the Mexican national team, but the phrase also applies to the Mexico City Stadium itself: everyone who sets foot on this green rectangle falls under its spell forever.