The English national football team is set to face a daunting challenge in their upcoming match against Mexico at the Azteca stadium. According to a leading sports expert, the altitude of the stadium will be a significant disadvantage for the team.
England's star player, Harry Kane, has echoed the sentiments of the expert, stating that the team cannot adapt to the altitude in time for the match. Typically, it takes up to a week for physiological adaptations to start kicking in, but given the team's tight schedule, it is unlikely they will have sufficient time to acclimatize.
Ahead of the match, Head of Sports Medicine and Performance Specialist at Ten Percent Club, discussed the challenges posed by the altitude. 'If you were training at this altitude, you would have had some of these adaptations which include the ability to regulate heart rate, respiratory rate, and sweat rate,' they explained. However, these adaptations require intense training, which England may not be able to achieve in time.
Given the team's tight schedule, which includes a match against Mexico immediately followed by a return flight, Tuchel faces an uphill battle in preparing his team for the match. 'So you can maybe adapt in this time but England are stuck between a rock and a hard place,' the expert noted. 'We are in a tournament setting, they have just had a game, they have to get on a plane again. How can Tuchel get three days of training in at full intensity? Is it enough to adapt? Probably not.'
England's playing style may also need to undergo a significant adjustment to counter the effects of the altitude. Typically, the team starts games at a high intensity, but at the Azteca, they may need to adopt a slower approach to conserve energy and cope with the reduced oxygen levels. Tuchel has demonstrated his ability to make tactical adjustments, and Sunday's match will be a true test of his decision-making.
Ahead of the match, England's players will need to be aware of the effects of the altitude on their performance. 'You normally expect around a 10 per cent reduction in VO2 max (the maximum volume of oxygen your body can absorb), and anywhere from six to eight percent drop in general performance metrics,' the expert noted. 'Players will notice it from the start, there will be an immediate spike in their heart rate.'
Substitutions will also need to be carefully managed to ensure that the team can adapt to the changing conditions. The expert noted that warm-ups will be crucial in helping players to acclimatize to the altitude and prepare for their roles on the pitch.
