England captain Harry Kane Urging his team-mates to prepare for a tough test ahead of a blockbuster 2026 FIFA World Cup last 16 clash with co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca. The knockout round is scheduled to take place on July 6 at 5:30 am (IST), pitting an unbeaten England team against a Mexico team that has performed flawlessly at home.Mexico entered this tournament in excellent form, winning all four games in Group A to top the group. They scored eight goals and conceded no goals, taking full advantage of Mexico City’s high-altitude conditions and making strides in quick transitions.Meanwhile, England defeated the Democratic Republic of Congo 2-1 to remain unbeaten and advance to the last 16. While the Three Lions also scored eight goals during the tournament, fatigue issues remain after a difficult club season.Ahead of the high-stakes clash, Kane acknowledged the scale of the challenge and insisted England must be prepared to adapt if they are to progress.“It’s going to be a very difficult game for a number of reasons. First of all, Mexico are a very good team. And then all the other little details will make it more difficult, but from our perspective it’s another opportunity to build momentum. It’s peak time to do that,” Goal.com quoted Kane as saying.The England captain added that knockout football often requires teams to find different ways of winning.“So there are no excuses in games like this. We know it’s going to be tough. We know we might have to struggle. We might have to find different ways to win. But that’s what the World Cup is about. Everybody looks forward to occasions like this, stadiums, atmosphere and ultimately putting themselves into these games.” That’s why you train like us. That’s why you play football – to play in these epic games,” he added. Kane was one of the standout performers at the World Cup, scoring five goals to lead England’s attack. The striker is also on the verge of making history, having scored five goals in the knockout stages of the World Cup. One more goal and he would equal Gary Lineker’s England record of six goals in a World Cup knockout round.
