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

The two teams meet in a much-anticipated Round of 16 encounter in the World Cup currently being held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, with both seeking a spot in the quarterfinals.

German Thomas Tuchel, head coach of England, stated: 'It is a fitting 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 date with Mexico in Mexico City in the next round.

Tuchel spoke of the Mexico City Stadium as if it were a living entity, capable of reward and punishment. This statement alone suffices to show how deeply the stadium's history is rooted in the memory of those who were once just fans, or who grew up on stories told by those before them, and today 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 country, 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 admitting he believes in karma, that what one sows will return later.

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

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

Although many of the stadium's greatest moments did not favor the home side, the relationship between Mexico's fans and the stadium has evolved over the years into something like 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 the three matches of coach Javier Aguirre's team, with very limited presence of opposing fans, creating atmosphere and pressure on opponents even before the kickoff.

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

Mexico have won all four of their World Cup matches so far, sparking wild celebrations at the stadium. After the 2-0 win over Ecuador, photos and videos spread of players singing and hugging 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 with the team, constantly singing famous national songs.

The impact of the atmosphere and stadium has become a major topic of discussion in both countries. Speaking on the BBC, former England 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 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 is filled with Mexicans. Additionally, the pitch is difficult due to the altitude and the physical exhaustion it causes. Of course, that makes the task even harder.'

The visual archives, the narratives 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 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, anticipation has reached its peak.

Tuchel, referring to some 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 home turf.'

This comes as Mexico have not lost any World Cup match on home soil, with their last defeat there coming in 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 the Mexico City Stadium itself; everyone who steps foot on this green rectangle falls under its spell forever.