Shearer: England should embrace Azteca test against Mexico

Alan Shearer believes England should approach their World Cup meeting with Mexico at the Azteca Stadium with confidence rather than concern. His view is that the altitude, noise and home crowd are real challenges, but not reasons for Thomas Tuchel’s players to feel intimidated.

The BBC Sport column frames the match as a major psychological and tactical test: Mexico are at home, the stadium carries historic weight, and England are expected to face a much less friendly crowd than in their previous matches at the tournament. Shearer also notes Mexico’s strong competitive record at the Azteca, while cautioning that such history does not make them unbeatable.

From an England perspective, the main football questions are on the flanks and at right-back. Shearer highlights Julian Quinones as a danger for Mexico and suggests Tuchel must balance defensive security with attacking output, while keeping the central midfield structure built around Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson and Jude Bellingham.

The broader theme is whether England can start faster than they did against DR Congo and avoid giving Mexico momentum. Shearer still expects England to progress, but his argument rests less on prediction than on mentality: treat the venue as an opportunity, not an obstacle.