The sight of Thomas Tuchel chuckling over a microphone in Mexico City became the defining image of England’s surreal World Cup knock-out preamble. Facing a question on whether his squad was using Viagra to combat the 2,240-metre altitude of the Azteca Stadium, the England manager smiled and issued a flat denial. “The information did not reach me. That is not true,” he said. Seated alongside him, midfielder Jordan Henderson deadpanned to laughter: “Well, the Viagra helps.” The exchange, broadcast around the globe, crystallised a week in which medical folklore, guerrilla fan tactics and the weight of history collided before a ball had been kicked.

The rumour, seeded in British tabloids, drew on genuine sports science. Sildenafil, the drug’s active compound, acts as a vasodilator that can expand pulmonary blood vessels, theoretically aiding oxygen uptake in thin air. Analysts in Italy and Brazil noted that while some high-altitude sports have explored its use, the World Anti-Doping Agency has never banned it. Researchers cited across European media cautioned, however, that any performance benefit is unlikely below 3,800–4,000 metres – far above Mexico City’s altitude. The chatter nonetheless reflected England’s search for marginal gains at a venue where no European side has ever won.

That challenge was amplified by a hostile reception on the ground. Mexican supporters, employing a tactic used earlier against Ecuador, located England’s hotel and launched a nocturnal barrage of car horns, firecrackers and chants. Police cordoned off nearby streets, but Tuchel himself admitted to a mild headache and poor sleep. “We feel it even when we don’t train,” he said. At the Azteca, where Mexico have lost only twice in 89 matches and not since 2013, the altitude functions as a de facto twelfth man. Spanish-language media in Mexico highlighted Tuchel’s respectful tone: he called the home side a top-ten force and had studied their recent wins over Belgium and Portugal.

Viewed from London, England’s path to this fixture sharpened the tension. A late Harry Kane double salvaged a 2-1 comeback against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the previous round; Mexico, meanwhile, cruised past Ecuador with four tournament victories without conceding. Tuchel rejected any notion of avenging Diego Maradona’s 1986 “Hand of God” quarter-final at the same stadium, telling Brazilian reporters, “We are not here for revenge. It still hurts, but this is a different challenge.”

The winner of Sunday night’s clash face Brazil or Norway in the quarter-finals, ensuring that for all the pre-match theatre, the real drama still lies on the pitch.