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 clash between Mexico and England.

The two teams meet in a highly anticipated Round of 16 clash in the World Cup currently being held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, as both seek a place in the quarter-finals.

German Thomas Tuchel, the head coach of England, said: '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 DR Congo last Wednesday in the Round of 32, setting up a meeting with Mexico in the next round in Mexico City.

Tuchel spoke of the Mexico City Stadium as if it were a living being, 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 mere fans, or who grew up on stories told by those before them, and who are now writing their own chapters on the world stage.

Before this edition began, 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 after setting up the title-winning goal for teammate Jorge Burruchaga against West Germany.

In that same edition, England had lost to Argentina in the quarter-finals in an unforgettable match. Today, the two stories intersect again, with Tuchel admitting that he believes in 'karma' — that what you sow, you reap.

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

Mexico coach Aguirre believes that playing in Mexico City provides 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 almost 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 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 kickoff.

Aguirre, praising the importance of fan support, said in comments quoted by FIFA's official website: 'The biggest difference, undoubtedly, is playing at home. It is our 12th player. We know the whole country is behind us, and that gives us immense motivation.'

Mexico has won all four of its World Cup matches so far, sparking noisy celebrations on the pitch. After the 2-0 win over Ecuador, images 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 singing famous national songs.

The impact of the atmosphere and the stadium has become a key 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 will be England's toughest test in the tournament.

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

For his part, Javier Hernández spoke on Fox Sports 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 fatigue it causes. And of course that makes the task more difficult.'

The visual archives, tales of that era, and the events themselves have created an aura of mystique around this colossal structure that has opened its doors to the world again. And ahead of the Round of 16 clash, 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 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 home soil.'

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 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, for everyone who steps foot on this green rectangle falls under its spell forever.