EXCLUSIVE: The England players could benefit from the six-hour kick off difference for their World Cup Round of 16 tie vs Mexico, as a shorter time spent at altitude provides a key benefit
England have been handed an altitude lifeline in their Round of 16 World Cup tie against Mexico, after the kick off time was set to be brought forward.
The Three Lions faced a gruelling couple of days in Mexico City ahead of the match, faced with the prospect of altitude sickness and pandemonium outside their hotel. But, a slight change to the kick-off time could help to alleviate the challeging effects of being 7,200ft above sea level.
FIFA reportedly told the FA earlier today that the kick-off time would change from 6pm local time on Sunday (1am on Monday in the UK) to 12pm (7pm UK time). The change came after Mexico City was forecast huge thunderstorms into Sunday evening, which threatened delaying kick-off into the early hours.
England’s best chance of negating the effects of the Azteca stadium’s altitude was to delay flying into the capital city until as late as possible, seeing as it wasn’t possible to arrive a week in advance. The schedule change would now mean the oxygen reduction would have even less of an impact, it’s been claimed.
Human performance expert Steve Magness told the Mirror: “Between 24 and 48 hours is where we your plasma volume hits the worst point. So think of your blood as free-flowing or essentially like sludge. Is the motorway open or is there a traffic jam?
“The more blood plasma volume you have, the more it’s likely to be free-flowing. As that gets reduced [with altitude], it becomes a little like a traffic jam, where it’s like sludge and it takes longer to transport.
“When we get to altitude, immediately our blood plasma volume starts going down because of the stress, and that like dips to the highest level after about two days.”
The England players could therefore benefit from the six-hour kick off difference, he added. Mr Magness, who wrote ‘Win The Inside Game’ and ‘Do Hard Things’, said the shorter time spent at altitude would provide a minor benefit, but it’s still going to be tough for the Three Lions.
“At this point we’re playing with the small details. I don’t think [the kick-off time change] is doom or gloom. I don’t think it’s good or bad necessarily.
“It’s six hours difference – it might make a minor difference for some players, but I think it’s just kind of going to suck.
“The reason for that is pretty simple; once you step off that plane, your body is freaking out. It almost overcorrects for the first two or three days. Um, but like it takes time to overcorrect. You benefit if you can get there before the stress peaks, which is about two to two-and-a-half days.”
An intimidating atmosphere awaits at the Azteca, while the visitors are braced for hostility outside the team hotel. But altitude could be the biggest challenge, with the match taking place more than 2,000 metres above sea level.
England manager Thomas Tuchel said: “My understanding is that we cannot adapt to the altitude. That is just a huge advantage that Mexico will have. It just takes too much time.
“We have only three days in between [the last-32 win over DR Congo and the Mexico game]. This is physically just not possible to adapt to the altitude, which is quite high.
“We knew that before, so this is just something, it’s just a disadvantage, with which we will have to deal. I think we showed the attitude that we are ready for that and from there we go.”
Under safety rules, games face an automatic 30-minute delay if lightning strikes within eight miles of the stadium, with the clock resetting each time there is a new strike.
FIFA’s World Cup regulations say the governing body has “the right to cancel, reschedule or relocate one or more matches… for any reason at its sole discretion, including as a result of force majeure or due to health, safety or security concerns”.
England playmaker Morgan Rogers said of the potential change: “It’s just another obstacle to overcome. We’ll be ready regardless of the time.
“Earlier the better because you want to play. There is enough thinking about what is going to happen and the build-up – you just want to play the game.
“Getting that adrenaline out there will help us and get us going and playing. We’re looking forward to it whatever the time is.
“I’m not concerned about it, but won’t be happy if it wakes me up, I’ll be honest. We’ll deal with it as best as possible. It’s another obstacle to get over.”
England team-mate Marcus Rashford also downplayed the impact of a potential kick-off change.
“I think for us it’s the same, how we prepare for the game,” the forward said. “It has to be the same, we have to be focused, we have to be ready for anything.
“I think it’s one strength of the group, everyone included, the players, the staff, we’re ready for whatever challenges get thrown at us. Obviously it’s not ideal, but also it doesn’t matter.”
A kick-off alteration would only add to what England boss Tuchel knew would be “a lot, a lot, a lot of obstacles” awaiting them in Mexico.