Mexico vs England: Why the Azteca is a legendary World Cup stadium

What makes Azteca truly special is the power of the people.

Whether cheering on Mexico, Club America, Cruz Azul or hosting neutral teams in the World Cup, Azteca fans are renowned for creating wild music like no other.

“It’s almost impossible to communicate on the field because Azteca is full of voices swirling around you,” says Jason de Vos, one of the few men at the stadium who both played against Mexico and coached with the Canadian national team.

“The Mexicans know they have an advantage because of the crowd and they try to squeeze you into the field.

“When you arrive, the team bus passes under the stadium, you go down the ramp and walk to the locker room.

“When you walk towards the field you have to go through a very narrow tunnel and you can hear a buzzing sound like a swarm of bees.

“To get out, you approach the field from below, go up the stairs and when you get to the top and see the light you realize the buzzing is people.

“The vibration of the horns, the screams, the jumping. It’s crazy

“But that’s exactly why you want to play football.”