Dozens of Mexican fans gathered outside the England national football team’s hotel in Mexico City in the early hours of Sunday morning to disrupt players’ sleep ahead of their FIFA World Cup round-of-16 match against co-host Mexico, reports stated.
The fans were, however, moved back by the police, who were in riot gear and barricaded the hotel after lining up and moving anyone away attempting to get close to the hotel, BBC reported.
Noise barrage initiated at Santa Fe accommodations
The Mexican crowd gathered outside the JW Marriott hotel in Santa Fe, located in the western part of Mexico City, with loudspeakers, fireworks, and horns, and tried their best to disturb England’s football team residing in the hotel at the time, AP reported.
England’s Jude Bellingham gets off the bus at the hotel where England will stay in Mexico City ahead of its World Cup round of 16 soccer match against Mexico. (AP Photo)
Videos of the incident have gone viral on social media, and they purportedly show a group of fans gathered on a street outside the England football team’s hotel playing music, chanting, and lighting fireworks in Mexico City.
Manager Thomas Tuchel downplays sleep deprivation
The disruption by Mexican fans was reportedly anticipated by England manager Thomas Tuchel, but he downplayed the impact of it.
The England team bus arrives at a hotel in Mexico City ahead of England’s World Cup round of 16 soccer match against Mexico. (AP Photo)
“We have a 6 pm (Sunday) kickoff, so if we miss some hours of sleep, we’ll make them up in the late morning,” Tuchel said on Saturday, AP reported.
Scheduled match details at Azteca
FIFA World Cup co-host Mexico is scheduled to play against England in a round-of-16 match at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium on Sunday evening (local time).
Fans take photos as the England team bus arrives at the hotel where they will stay in Mexico City ahead of its World Cup round of 16 soccer match against Mexico. (AP Photo)
Precedent of sleep disruption in earlier tournament stages
Enhanced security measures were in place as a similar incident was reported earlier when Ecuador, which was defeated by Mexico 2-0 in the last 32 FIFA World Cup match, complained about noise to the governing body after fans disrupted their sleep last week with motorcycles, horns, and loudspeakers.
Mixed fan reception and heightened security interventions
England’s team received a mixed response from fans with cheers and jeers as they left the hotel for a training session under heightened security measures, BBC reported.
The disruption by Mexican fans was reportedly anticipated by England manager Thomas Tuchel, but he downplayed the impact of it. (Photo: X/ @GlobalNewsMontr) 
England’s Jude Bellingham gets off the bus at the hotel where England will stay in Mexico City ahead of its World Cup round of 16 soccer match against Mexico. (AP Photo)
The England team bus arrives at a hotel in Mexico City ahead of England’s World Cup round of 16 soccer match against Mexico. (AP Photo)
Fans take photos as the England team bus arrives at the hotel where they will stay in Mexico City ahead of its World Cup round of 16 soccer match against Mexico. (AP Photo)
Share
