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

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

German Thomas Tuchel, the head coach of England, stated: 'It's a fitting moment to reconcile 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 of the tournament, setting up a date with Mexico in Mexico City in the next round.

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

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

In that same edition, England had lost to the 'Tango dancers' (Argentina) in the quarter-finals 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 at that time, 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, and their vocal impact and collective rhythm demonstrated their ability to move the entire stadium at will. They also added chants that became part of popular culture and are still present today.

Aguirre, Mexico's coach, believes that playing in Mexico City provides additional strength (AFP)

Although many of the stadium's greatest moments were not in favor of the home team, the relationship between the 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, Mexico City Stadium (formerly Azteca) hosted 80,824 spectators in each of coach Javier Aguirre's team's three matches, with very limited attendance from opposing fans, creating an atmosphere and pressure on opponents even before the kickoff 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 at home. It is our 12th player. We know the entire country is behind us, and that gives us huge motivation.'

Mexico has won all of its four World Cup matches so far, sparking raucous celebrations on the pitch. After a 2-0 victory over Ecuador, photos and videos circulated of players singing and hugging 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 popular national songs.

The impact of the atmosphere and 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 the toughest test for England in the tournament.

Mexican stands... the hosts' 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, and the atmosphere you feel when it's filled with Mexicans. Additionally, the pitch is difficult due to the altitude and the physical fatigue it causes. And 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 giant edifice that opened its doors to the world once again. And ahead of the round of 16 match, which will be the last game of the tournament on Mexican soil before the competition moves entirely to the United States, the anticipation has reached its peak.

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

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

Álvaro Fidalgo wrote on his Instagram account after scoring his first goal for Mexico against the 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, as everyone who sets foot on this green rectangle falls under its spell forever.