Mexico City swept up in World Cup fever as El Tri capture imaginations like never before

The shirt sellers are out en masse in the streets around Zócalo, the vast main square in Mexico City. The national team have never captured imaginations quite like this and there is almost unlimited demand for a jersey that, even before El Tri sealed a potentially epochal last-16 tie with England, had outsold every other at this World Cup. Three weeks since hosting the opening game Mexico can claim, for a few days at least, to be the tournament’s pulsating heart, and expectations are soaring. “We feel we are going to win,” says Francisco, who is walking along a buzzing Avenida 5 de Mayo. Even in a city notorious for its chaos and bustle there is an extra charge in the cool, thin air here. “It’s going to be difficult but we are all very motivated. Mexico will play a game like the previous one and they are going to beat England.”

Francisco is referring to Tuesday night’s win over Ecuador, which secured a first knockout victory since 1986. Even in the fabled, mythologised history of Estadio Azteca it was a night of almost unparalleled fervour. Then there was the situation on the streets. About 1.4 million people are estimated to have watched on outdoor screens despite a vicious pre-match storm that delayed kick-off by an hour. It is some increase on the 400,000 believed to have turned out for Mexico’s first match, a win over South Africa. Tragically it was not always safe, with four people killed in a crush and dozens trapped.

Safety measures will need to be tightened but, in the passion stakes, we are unlikely to have seen anything yet. “I’d wager my name on it,” says Principia, who is from Quintana Roo on the Yucatán peninsula, when asked whether Sunday is likely to break records. Wearing a Mexico shirt and baseball cap, she is walking around the perimeter of the Fifa fan festival that temporarily occupies most of the Zócalo, taking in the atmosphere before the screening of Spain’s match with Austria.

“It’s just been so exhilarating to see our team win on Mexican soil,” she says. “It’s been heaps and heaps of people, happy as can be. There’s such beauty in seeing families out there celebrating and cheering for them.”

Nobody needs an excuse to pump Sunday’s occasion up. With the final whistle nearing in England’s win over the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the local television commentator reeled off the names of England’s players one by one. In a manner redolent of the Norwegian broadcaster Bjørge Lillelien, whose “Can you hear me Maggie Thatcher?” oration in 1981 is etched into folklore, the Mexican equivalent welcomed Harry Kane and company to the bubbling cauldron that awaits.

The Azteca factor means England face a formidable 12th man. There is nothing quite like the maelstrom of sights, sounds and chaotic beauty all thrown into the biggest games at Mexico’s seemingly impregnable national stadium. “Playing there is pure energy,” says Charles, who is walking past the Zócalo with his partner, Angie. “The Azteca has something magical. It brings us a lot of luck. The energy in there, the vibe, it’s just incredible.”

They have not yet decided where they will settle in to watch. “But wherever we watch, the great thing about Mexicans is that it seems we all know each other,” Angie says. “On the day of the game, we are all family.”

The excitement is palpable around Zócalo but even the coffee-drinking literati in uber-fashionable La Roma, two miles west of the city centre, are bitten by the El Tri bug. Sitting outside a cafe along one of its quiet tree-lined streets, Pablo recalls those night-long celebrations along Paseo de la Reforma after Ecuador were beaten. “Quite incredible to experience,” he says. “Thousands of people celebrating, honking, jumping around, maracas, a lot of noise.”

In a city that is rarely slow to embrace a party, he believes the temperature has ramped up to new levels in the past week. “It feels a bit different,” he says. “I think the more we’ve been winning games, through the group stage onwards, people have been believing more. With previous Mexican teams there was a little bit of doubt but we’ve been able to have more faith in the team.”

Pablo, a Manchester United fan since Javier Hernández’s stint at Old Trafford, repeats the phrase ¿Y Si Sí? – “What if they can?” – which has gained increasing traction during Mexico’s run. He has high hopes for a repeat performance against England by Gilberto Mora, the 17-year-old prodigy who put in a display of remarkable poise and verve against Ecuador. “It’s just incredible what he is doing,” he says. “I hope he gets a move abroad soon. Mexican players tend to stay in the local league but it would only help him and the national team.”

As always, football comes hand in hand with stories of personal significance. Principia explains that her grandmother died in Guadalajara on the day of the South Africa game, leading to a traditional nine-day mourning period for the family. After that, she suggested to her cousins that they visit Mexico City together and ride the tournament wave among the crowds.

“I just said: ‘Why don’t we go?’” she recalls. “We took all the tears and emotion from grandma, who we felt was uniting us from beyond. None of us had spent time together as a family in over a decade and here we were enjoying the World Cup.”

But is there anyone at all, in this city gripped to its furthermost capillaries with obsession, who will admit to not being bothered about Sunday’s game? In the safe space of his taxi, Marco utters the unthinkable. “I don’t watch a lot of football,” he says. “It will be about luck. If Mexico wins, fine, if England wins, OK. I think they’re both playing very well.” Even the apathetic, though, are steeped in the power of the Azteca. “You’re going to have a stadium entirely full of Mexicans going crazy for their national team,” he continues. “It’s very difficult to play against a whole nation.”

Even with Mexico’s formidable record at Azteca, there is always an element of doubt. “We are very anxious,” says Alejandra, who is walking around the fan festival’s perimeter back at Zócalo. “We know England will come here very strong. But obviously we all trust Mexico.”