Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Tuchel Urges Parents to Keep Kids Awake for England-Mexico Match

7/2/2026

42 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Tuchel Urges Late

England manager Thomas Tuchel urged parents to let children stay up for the England-Mexico match on Monday, July 6, at 1 a.m. BST.
He made the plea after England’s 2–1 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He said families could write a school excuse because the World Cup occurs only every four years.
He missed Mexico’s match after sleeping at 10 p.m., saying the next match in four days needs children’s support.

Summary

Tuchel Warns Altitude

England will arrive at the 7,200-ft Estadio Azteca two days before the match, short of the week-or-two acclimatization needed.
Mexico has played four games at altitude—three at the Azteca and one in Guadalajara (~5,000 ft).
Tuchel said the altitude is “just not possible to adapt to” given the three-day gap, and declared the team ready.
Research shows a week at altitude boosts red-blood-cell count, a benefit England cannot achieve.

History

Historical Context

In 1968 Mexico City hosted the Summer Olympics at a high altitude, where Kenyan runner Kip Keino captured the 1,500 m gold amid thin air that affected many competitors. The Games featured 36 athletics events and 1,031 athletes from 93 nations. The same venue, Estadio Azteca, later hosted the 1970 and 1986 FIFA World Cups, reminding teams that altitude remains a tactical factor.

1 of 3

Tuchel Urges Late

England manager Thomas Tuchel urged parents to let children stay up for the England-Mexico match on Monday, July 6, at 1 a.m. BST.
He made the plea after England’s 2–1 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He said families could write a school excuse because the World Cup occurs only every four years.
He missed Mexico’s match after sleeping at 10 p.m., saying the next match in four days needs children’s support.

1 / 3