Espionage Panic! England alters its logistics in Mexico by order of Thomas Tuchel
According to the English newspaper Daily Mail Sport, the England team is afraid that its tactical secrets will be discovered in Mexico.
The England team modified its work schedule in Mexico City, supposedly for fear of being spied on in its preparation for next Sunday's duel against the Mexico team, which will define which squad advances to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.
According to the logistics that the English team's coach, Thomas Tuchel, had programmed, there were last-minute changes. This was established in a note published by the Daily Mail Sport newspaper, which reported that the Three Lions squad did not travel directly to Mexican territory, but rather returned to its concentration in the city of Kansas City.
After defeating the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the city of Dallas, Texas, the team was expected to travel directly to the Aztec capital; especially to save flight hours due to the greater proximity of the Texas territory compared to Kansas.
The English newspaper pointed out that Tuchel's concern is that his tactical plans could be leaked to the Mexico team. For this reason, the UNAM Pumas facilities were chosen, in the Cantera area, since there they will be able to control the access of the people closest to the English team and avoid the presence of strangers.
Tuchel intends to keep the formation that will take to the field absolutely secret – with figures such as Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Marcus Rashford – in order to do as much damage as possible to Mexico.
The concentration in Kansas City offers England a place that they consider more controlled and protected to define their strategy. From there, the team has been able to move during the World Cup without having to take too long flights, one of the logistical reasons why they chose that venue as their main base. However, the proximity of the match against Mexico changed the tone of the preparation.
In the English environment there is a perception that the altitude of Mexico City and the pressure of the local fans will play a role against them, so isolation and tactical mystery are their best weapons to survive a real pressure cooker.