Hundreds of Mexico fans descended on the Marriott hotel in Santa Fe late last night, setting off fireworks and playing a Mariachi band in an attempt to disrupt England's preparations for their World Cup last-16 clash. Police were called to the scene as the crowd grew, with armed officers pushing fans back to prevent the situation from escalating.
Police Intervention and Fan Behaviour
Footage shared widely on social media showed the Mexicans making as much noise as humanly possible, with the Mariachi band adding to the volume. The disruption continued into the early hours of the morning before the crowd finally dispersed, allowing England players like Harry Kane to get some rest. According to reports, police had to get involved as the scenes threatened to turn ugly.
World Cup Context
England take on host nation Mexico at the Azteca tonight, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake. Much has been made of the high altitude working against Thomas Tuchel's team, while there have been complaints over Mexico effectively playing a home game. Mexico has never lost a World Cup game at the iconic stadium, adding to the challenge for England.
Match Details and Next Round
The two sides face off at 7pm CST (1am in the UK), with Mexico hopeful of an upset against one of the tournament favourites. The winner will face either Brazil or Norway in Miami in the next round, with that match kicking off at 9pm UK time tonight.
