Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre has urged his players to make England captain Harry Kane feel 'uncomfortable' in their World Cup last-16 match on Sunday. Thomas Tuchel's side face a tough test at Azteca Stadium as World Cup co-hosts Mexico have won all four of their games so far and are yet to concede a goal during the tournament.
Kane's Form and Golden Boot Race
England, meanwhile, needed Kane to be at his brilliant best in their last-32 tie against DR Congo as a second-half double from the Bayern Munich striker sealed a 2-1 victory in Atlanta. Kane is firmly in the running to win the World Cup Golden Boot as he is level on five goals with Erling Haaland and two behind Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.
Aguirre's Plan to Neutralise Kane
But Aguirre says he is tasking several players in his Mexico side to stop Kane from rescuing England once again. 'Harry Kane is a global icon,' Aguirre said. 'The goals he scored for Tottenham, Bayern, or for his national team, are those of a world-class player. A lad who is 1.88 metres tall, who, despite his size, has great skill with his feet, aerial ability, he has it all. Hard-working, he defends, he's the captain. What more can I say about that lad?'
'We'll try to neutralise him, not just with the centre-backs but with the midfielder who comes forward, with help from the full-backs. We'll try to make sure he's not comfortable on the pitch when he drops deep to receive the ball, that he always has someone on him so he can't create plays.'
Mexico's Confidence and Respect for England
Ahead of the match, England defender Marc Guehi named Mexico as 'favourites' but Aguirre insists his side will need a 'near perfect game' to beat the Three Lions. 'You're facing the fourth-ranked team in the world in FIFA, the 1966 World Cup champions. A team with a great league that feeds its national team,' Aguirre said.
'They're a top team, so we'll have to play almost a perfect game to beat them. We have to play even better than we have been and see if we have the bit of luck that always helps in these final stages. The English, historically, are fast. It's true they have some very important players both in England and abroad. They're a physically powerful team but they also play good football.'
'Since [Gareth] Southgate's arrival, there's been a change in their style of play and Tuchel continued it with his own nuances. They play in two ways – they're fast, but they also overwhelm opponents with long balls and physical challenges when they can't find space with their agility. The altitude and everything else are things I put aside. It's 11 against 11, and the referee is there to consider what's against the rules. I don't dwell on those things.'
