Rogers: Mexico test is an occasion to remember

Morgan Rogers is expecting “an occasion to remember” when England take on FIFA World Cup 2026 co-hosts Mexico in the round of 16.

The Three Lions travel to Mexico City for Sunday’s game, with a place in the quarter-finals against Brazil or Norway up for grabs for the winners.

El Tri have won all four of their tournament matches without conceding a goal on home soil, with three of those coming at a packed Mexico City Stadium.

Rogers is relishing the opportunity to play at one of the world’s most famous grounds for the first time, and he insists Thomas Tuchel’s squad are excited to face the challenge head on.

Asked if it’ll be the biggest game of his career so far, Rogers said: “Probably it is, yeah.

“I’m expecting an unbelievable atmosphere. I’m expecting an occasion to remember, for sure.

“The build up and everything around it, the different obstacles we’ve got to face, I think just adds to that adrenaline, that kind of excitement we have as a team about the prospect of getting to a quarter-final of a World Cup.

“What that means to us as players, with that extra bit on top, I think it’s a great occasion and one we should be looking forward to.

“Of course we know the difficulties, how well they’re playing, the atmosphere… but we’ve got to focus on ourselves and we know that if we’re at our best then we can beat pretty much anyone, so that’s the mindset and the message.”

Rogers started the 2-0 group stage win over Panama and featured as a substitute in the opening victory against Croatia and draw with Ghana.

Expanding on his own tournament so far, the Aston Villa midfielder said: “I’ve been happy with the two games I came off the bench but probably wanted to impact the game I started against Panama a bit more. I think I did well at times but I could’ve impacted the game more.

“Sometimes the games are tough and they demand different things and they may not always be suited to me necessarily, so it’s just about how I can adapt and be better.

“I’ll be ready for whatever task I’m given, whatever position they want me to play. I’ll be ready to show my ability and what I can do on this stage.”

One player who certainly did that during the Round of 32 win against DR Congo was Harry Kane. The Three Lions captain scored twice in the final 15 minutes to turn the game on its head and send England into the next knockout stage.

“Best striker in the world and he has been for a number of years,” Rogers said of Kane.

“Time and time again he performs and delivers on the biggest stage and we’re going to need him again.

“That’s why he’s our captain and that’s why he’s our leader because he leads by example. He does everything right every day.

“He’s an inspiration for all English players, whether you’re with him or you’re not. He’s someone you should idolise and look up to about how to get yourself ready for these big moments, how he prepares and gets himself ready to deliver. It’s no surprise.”

Marcus Rashford is full of belief as England prepare to take on Mexico.

“I think it’s one strength of the group – we’re ready for whatever challenge is thrown at us,” noted Rashford.

“It’s a game of football, at the end of the day. Whatever happens, however the game plays out, we’re going to try and come out on top.”

And England are going to enjoy the game at Mexico City Stadium – the 87 523-seater venue where the Three Lions last played in 1986 in the quarter-final of the World Cup against eventual champions Argentina.

“We’re looking to soak in everything about this fixture,” he said. “The stadium is amazing and passionate fans from both sides. Hopefully it’s a good game of football and we come out on top.”

And Three Lions forward – who found the back of the net in the opener in Dallas against Croatia – is confident heading into Monday’s game which will be played on Sunday locally.

“We know what we’re capable of with what we’ve got in the squad,” he continued. “If problems get thrown at us, we’re going to find a way to deal with them.

“That’s pretty much the mentality of all of us – the players and staff included. We have full belief and we don’t expect the game to go exactly how we plan but no game does. It’s nothing new to us.”

And although Rashford conceded it will be a tough game against one of the tournament hosts, the Manchester United star is sure Tuchel’s team can get the job done.

“They’ve obviously defended well but no defence is unbeatable,” explained Rashford.

“It’s up to us to find a way. It’s another challenge. We’re going to play against some top players, some top teams, some top defensive units, top forwards. It’s just problems we’re going to have to try and deal with.

“I think the team is confident in themselves. We give 100 percent on the pitch.”

Growing up, making friends and meeting people from around the world is part of being a footballer. When they arrive at a new club, they look around and wonder who these new teammates will be, what adventures they will have, and whether they will become lifelong friends or simply be acquaintances and go their separate ways without leaving much of a mark. It is important to find role models and team-mates with whom you have a friendship, because that makes life much easier. Sometimes friendships are just for a season of life, but in other cases the friendships stretch back into childhood and even lead down the road to the FIFA World Cup.

That is the case with Mexico's Cesar Montes and Johan Vasquez, whose footballing journeys have been intertwined ever since they were very young. When they met, they clicked almost immediately, perhaps because they were from the same region and because it is comforting to have someone who comes from the same place as you to rely on when things get tricky. “I think I was about 10 or 11 years old when I first saw him. We met at Pachuca, and that’s where we realised we were from the same state, the same region, the same area,” Vasquez told FIFA.

The two boys climbed through the ranks, their paths crossing over the years, before they were called up to play for their nation: no mean feat made all the more remarkable by their unique journey. “We met again when we were at Cimarrones de Sonora, then at Monterrey and now we’re both playing for the national team,” Vasquez said.

That shared history carries meaning in their everyday lives: “Being from the same place, you tend to look after each other. I would move to a new club and wouldn’t know any of the other guys. You end up gravitating towards the person closest to where you’re from. When I first arrived, he welcomed me and helped me with lots of things. It felt familiar, we’ve been friends for many years and know each other very well,” explained the Mexico centre-back.

One particularly happy milestone in their shared story was winning the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. That joyful moment was shared by a number of other players who have helped the current Mexico team reach the World Cup 2026 Round of 16. Many of those players came through Cimarrones de Sonora youth system, including the two defenders.

“Not all of us, but quite a few came through the system. We’ve become a family in the national team. We’ve known each other and played together for years. That’s the key. At the Olympics we won a historic bronze medal. It’s one of the best competitions I’ve ever played in for many reasons. At around that time, I was also able to fulfil my dream of going to Italy,” recalled Vasquez.

All of this has resulted in one of the tournament’s most formidable defences. El Tri have many achievements to be proud of in this edition of the global showpiece, but perhaps the most striking is that after four matches, they have still not conceded a single goal.

“I think it’s a beautiful thing to be able to give the team a sense of security and for the team to trust you. We try to do our job but just because you haven’t conceded a goal doesn’t mean everything is perfect defensively. The two don’t necessarily equate; there have been times when a teammate, the goalkeeper or someone else has saved us, and all the credit goes to the defence. But it’s really a collective effort,” Vasquez said ahead of Mexico's meeting with England in the Round of 16. “We’re all aware of the different match phases, we’ve known each other for a long time and we know each other’s limits. I think that’s what makes us such a great defence.”

Vasquez’s successes closely resemble Montes’s because life has brought them together so many times and the two understand each other instinctively. You only have to watch a Mexico match to see it.