FIFA World Cup: Declan Rice to Mexico and the Azteca-'We don't care where we play'

Declan Rice has a simple message for Mexico ahead of Sunday's World Cup Round of 16 clash at the Estadio Azteca. Bring it on.England's midfield engine has dismissed any concerns about playing one of the most intimidating fixtures a football team can face, a knockout World Cup match against a host nation, at altitude, inside the most iconic stadium in World Cup history.

"For us, we don't care where we play," Rice said ahead of the high-stakes showdown in Mexico City. "To us, it's just a stadium. Obviously the Azteca is known as where Maradona done the 'Hand of God', just loads of different iconic moments. For us, we're just turning up to do a job. Obviously it's going to be unreal, but it's just another stadium we get to play at."England landed in Mexico City on Friday knowing the tie would kick off at 6pm local time and 5 am Monday morning in the IST, after FIFA dismissed discussions about moving the match to an earlier slot due to weather concerns.The challenges stacking up against Thomas Tuchel's side are considerable. Mexico have lost just two of their 89 competitive matches at the Azteca, making it one of the most fortress-like grounds in world football. Then there is the altitude - Mexico City sits 2,200 metres above sea level, a fact that visibly surprised England defender Ezri Konsa when he was quizzed on it. "Seven times the height of the Shard? No way," Konsa said, before being told it was true.

Rice himself is dealing with neural pain in his hamstring that has troubled him since Christmas, describing the experience against DR Congo in the Round of 32 as "terrible." He assured Tuchel he will be fit to face Mexico."It's kind of going to be like an away game for us," Rice said. "They've played every game in Mexico so far, been at home the whole tournament. For us it's just being able to go there and deal with what's going to be thrown at us."Head coach Thomas Tuchel, meanwhile, took a more poetic view of the occasion. England's last visit to the Azteca ended with Maradona's infamous Hand of God in 1986. Forty years on, the German coach feels it is "a good moment to make peace with the stadium and turn things around."