'You can't catch your breath' - how will Azteca altitude impact England?

As England prepares to face Mexico at Azteca Stadium, BBC Sport examines one of football's toughest physical challenges: playing at extreme altitude. Mexico City sits over two thousand meters above sea level, meaning players have roughly thirty percent less oxygen available with every breath. The effects are immediate—fatigue sets in faster, recovery takes longer, and precision suffers as the body works harder to find oxygen. Even elite athletes require time to acclimatize; most players need several days to adapt, but a tournament match doesn't wait. England will face a fortress crowd and a fortress environment—one where their conditioning and mental resilience will be tested as much as their skill.

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