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 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 they seek a ticket to the quarter-finals.

Germany's Thomas Tuchel, head coach of England, said: 'It's 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 on 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 being, capable of reward and punishment, and that statement alone shows how deeply the stadium's history is rooted 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 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 his teammate Jorge Burruchaga against West Germany.

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

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, and they also added chants that became part of popular culture and remain present to this day.

Mexico coach Aguirre believes that playing in Mexico City gives extra strength (AFP)

Although many of the stadium's greatest moments were not won by the home side, the relationship between 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) welcomed 80,824 spectators for each of the three matches of coach Javier Aguirre's team, with very limited presence of opposing fans, creating an atmosphere and pressure on opponents even before the opening whistle.

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

Mexico has won all its four World Cup matches so far, sparking loud celebrations on the pitch. After the 2-0 win over Ecuador, photos and videos spread of players singing and embracing with fans, raising a simple question: Were the fans singing to the players, or were the players singing to the fans?

Fans interact passionately with the team, constantly singing popular national songs.

The impact of the atmosphere and the stadium has become a key topic of discussion in both countries. Speaking on BBC, former England internationals 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.

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

Meanwhile, Javier Hernández commented 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. In addition, 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 cast a mystique around this giant arena 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, anticipation has reached its peak.

Tuchel, alluding 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 ground.'

This comes as Mexico has not lost any World Cup match on home soil, with their last home defeat dating back to 2013 against Honduras in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying 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.