The historic Mexico City Stadium bids farewell to this edition of the FIFA World Cup on Saturday evening local time, as it hosts the highly anticipated match between Mexico and England.

The two teams meet in a highly anticipated clash in the round of 16 of the World Cup currently being held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, as both seek a spot in the quarterfinals.

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

Tuchel's comments came after England's hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo last Wednesday in the round of 32, setting up a meeting with Mexico in the next round in Mexico City.

Tuchel spoke of 'Mexico City Stadium' as if it were a living being capable of reward and punishment, and this statement alone is enough to show 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 who came before them, and now write 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 pinnacle of glory with his national team after setting up the winning goal for his teammate Jorge Burruchaga against West Germany.

In that same edition, England lost to the tango dancers in the quarterfinals in an unforgettable match, and today, the two stories intersect again, with Tuchel admitting that he believes in 'karma', meaning that what one sows, one reaps later.

Even back then, the Mexican crowd had mastered the art of intimidating opponents. It helped spread the 'Mexican wave' globally, a concept that originated in the United States, and its vocal impact and collective rhythm showed its ability to move the entire stadium at will, adding chants that became part of popular culture and remain present to this day.

Aguirre, Mexico's coach, believes that playing in Mexico City gives an extra strength (AFP).

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

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

Aguirre, praising the importance of fan support, said in statements reported by FIFA's official website: 'The biggest difference, without a doubt, is playing on home soil. They are our 12th player. We know the whole country is behind us, and that gives us tremendous motivation.'

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

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

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

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

For his part, Javier Hernandez stated on Fox Sports, speaking about the importance of playing at the historic Azteca Stadium: 'What that legendary stadium represents, and the atmosphere you feel when it is filled with Mexicans. In addition, the pitch is tough due to the altitude and the physical fatigue it causes. And of course, that makes the task more difficult.'

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

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

This comes at a time when Mexico has never lost a World Cup match on home soil, with its last defeat there dating 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 you choose it, it never leaves you.'

He might mean the Mexican national team, but the phrase also applies to 'Mexico City Stadium' itself, for anyone who sets foot on this green rectangle falls under its spell forever.