The historic Mexico City Stadium will bid farewell to this edition of the FIFA World Cup on Saturday evening 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, with both aiming to secure a place in the quarterfinals.

German Thomas Tuchel, the head coach of England, said: 'It is an opportune 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 for the next round.

Tuchel spoke of the 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 rooted the stadium's history is in the memory of those who were once just fans, or grew up on stories told by those 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 teammate Jorge Burruchaga against West Germany.

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

Even back then, the Mexican crowd had mastered the art of intimidating opponents. It helped spread the 'Mexican wave' globally, an idea that originated in the United States, and its vocal impact and collective rhythm demonstrated its ability to move the entire stadium at will, adding chants that became part of popular culture and are still present today.

Aguirre, the Mexico coach, believes that playing in Mexico City provides an additional advantage (AFP).

Although many of the stadium's greatest moments did not go to the home side, the relationship between Mexico's fans and the stadium has evolved over the years into a near-complete unity.

After a four-year renovation project that preserved the stadium's spirit, the Mexico City Stadium (formerly Azteca) hosted 80,824 spectators at 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 starting whistle.

Aguirre, praising the importance of fan support, said in remarks published on 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 tremendous motivation.'

Mexico has won all four of its World Cup matches so far, sparking raucous celebrations on the pitch. After the 2-0 win over Ecuador, photos and videos circulated 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 enthusiastically with the team, constantly chanting well-known patriotic songs.

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

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

Meanwhile, 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 is filled with Mexicans. In addition, the pitch is difficult due to the altitude and the physical exhaustion it causes. And of course, that makes the task more difficult.'

Archival footage, stories from that era, and the events themselves have created an aura of mystery around this colossal structure that opened its doors to the world once again. Before 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 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 the Czech Republic: 'Once it chooses you, it never leaves you.'

Perhaps he means 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.