The historic Mexico City Stadium bids farewell to this edition of the FIFA World Cup on Saturday local time, as 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 ticket to the quarterfinals.

German coach Thomas Tuchel, England's manager, stated: 'It's an appropriate moment to reconcile with this stadium. It will reward us.'

Tuchel's remarks 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 date with Mexico in the capital Mexico City for 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 the deep-rooted history of this stadium in the memory of those who were once mere fans or grew up on stories told by their predecessors, and who 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 World Cup final, 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 in the quarterfinals in an unforgettable match. Today, the two stories intersect again, with Tuchel acknowledging that he believes in 'karma'—that what one sows, they reap later.

Even back 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 also added chants that became part of popular culture and remain present today.

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

Although many of the stadium's greatest moments were not won by the home team, the relationship between Mexican fans and the stadium has evolved over the years into a complete unity.

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

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

Mexico has won all its four World Cup matches so far, sparking raucous celebrations on the field. After a 2-0 victory over Ecuador, photos 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 with great enthusiasm for the team, constantly chanting famous patriotic songs.

The impact of the atmosphere and stadium has become a major topic of discussion in both countries. During their talk on BBC, former English international stars Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney warned that playing at this historic stadium in front of such passionate fans will be England's toughest test 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, the atmosphere you feel when it is 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 structure that has opened its doors to the world once again. 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 revealed, referring to some challenges awaiting his team 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 at home, with their 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.'

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