Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre has revealed his plan to make England captain Harry Kane feel 'uncomfortable' in their World Cup last-16 match on Sunday. Speaking ahead of the clash at Azteca Stadium, Aguirre stressed the need to neutralize the Bayern Munich striker, who has scored five goals in the tournament so far.
Aguirre's Strategy to Stop Kane
'Harry Kane is a global icon,' Aguirre said. 'The goals he scored for Tottenham, Bayern, or for his national team, are those of a world-class player. A lad who is 1.88 metres tall, who, despite his size, has great skill with his feet, aerial ability, he has it all. Hard-working, he defends, he's the captain. What more can I say about that lad?'
'We'll try to neutralise him, not just with the centre-backs but with the midfielder who comes forward, with help from the full-backs. We'll try to make sure he's not comfortable on the pitch when he drops deep to receive the ball, that he always has someone on him so he can't create plays.'
Mexico's Strong Form
Mexico have won all four of their games so far and are yet to concede a goal during the tournament. England, meanwhile, needed Kane's second-half double to secure a 2-1 victory over DR Congo in the last-32 round. Kane is level on five goals with Erling Haaland, trailing Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi by two in the race for the Golden Boot.
Guehi Labels Mexico Favourites
England defender Marc Guehi named Mexico as 'favourites' ahead of the match, but Aguirre insists his side will need a 'near perfect game' to beat the Three Lions. 'You're facing the fourth-ranked team in the world in FIFA, the 1966 World Cup champions. A team with a great league that feeds its national team,' Aguirre said.
'They're a top team, so we'll have to play almost a perfect game to beat them. We have to play even better than we have been and see if we have the bit of luck that always helps in these final stages.'
Aguirre's Assessment of England
'The English, historically, are fast. It's true they have some very important players both in England and abroad. They're a physically powerful team but they also play good football. Since Gareth Southgate's arrival, there's been a change in their style of play and Tuchel continued it with his own nuances. They play in two ways – they're fast, but they also overwhelm opponents with long balls and physical challenges when they can't find space with their agility.'
'The altitude and everything else are things I put aside. It's 11 against 11, and the referee is there to consider what's against the rules. I don't dwell on those things.'
