'You can't breathe' - what is it like playing at altitude?
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- BBC pundits Rachel Corsie and Lucas Leiva explain their experiences of playing football at altitude in a feature headlined "'You can't breathe'", drawing on their own time on the pitch
- England are set to face Mexico at Estadio Azteca in a Fifa World Cup 2026 fixture, with the venue sitting 2,240 metres above sea level — a detail the BBC highlights as central to the physical challenge ahead
Why it matters: England's World Cup 2026 opponents at Estadio Azteca include one of the tournament's most physically punishing venues, and the BBC has tapped two former professionals who have actually played at altitude to frame that 2,240-metre reality for viewers rather than relying on abstract stats.
