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Midfielder Jordan Henderson joked that England do not need Viagra to get ready for the World Cup last-16 clash with Mexico at the Estadio Azteca later on Sunday.
Reports online suggested Thomas Tuchel’s side would be able to use the erectile dysfunction drug to help combat the effects of altitude in Mexico City, which sits more than 2,000 metres above sea level.
After Tuchel declared the rumour “not true,” Henderson was later asked how his side are coping with the challenging environment and he quipped: “Well, the Viagra helped, I think ... I’m joking!
“Players are very adaptable, really, and just get on with things,” he said as he referenced FIFA's botched attempts to move the kick-off and noisy Mexicans expected outside England's hotel.
“Like the kick-off time yesterday, whether we play at 12pm, whether we play at 6pm (local time), it doesn’t really bother us.
“We just come here to do our job, and that’s to be the best version of ourselves, to be together, to compete, to give everything for each other and the nation back home, to make them proud and to try to win a football game.
“Everything that we can’t influence, like kick-off times or altitude or stuff at the hotel, is not in our control, so we just have to find solutions, which we’re pretty good at.”
England will be unable to fully acclimatize to altitude as they would have needed to arrive 10 days ago, but they have also arrived too early for the effects on their body not to take place.
They trained for the first time on Saturday in the Mexican capital and Henderson admitted it took a bit of getting used to.
“You can feel it a little bit, you can feel something,” he said.
“I felt it a little bit, even when you just land and you come to the hotel and you’re just walking around, you can feel something.”
The Azteca is a famous stadium in the history of English football and Tuchel’s men are the first side to play there since Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ moment 40 years ago.
“I think it’s a huge, huge occasion,” Henderson said. “It doesn’t get much better or bigger than playing Mexico in Mexico City in this stadium.
“No words really. It’s just an incredible occasion for everyone, and for us as a team, it’s about staying focused on what our objective is, and that’s to come here and win the game.
“Of course, that comes with challenges, Mexico are a very good side with very good players.
“It’ll be a really tough test, but every game in the World Cup is difficult.”
Continue reading...
Reports online suggested Thomas Tuchel’s side would be able to use the erectile dysfunction drug to help combat the effects of altitude in Mexico City, which sits more than 2,000 metres above sea level.
After Tuchel declared the rumour “not true,” Henderson was later asked how his side are coping with the challenging environment and he quipped: “Well, the Viagra helped, I think ... I’m joking!
“Players are very adaptable, really, and just get on with things,” he said as he referenced FIFA's botched attempts to move the kick-off and noisy Mexicans expected outside England's hotel.
“Like the kick-off time yesterday, whether we play at 12pm, whether we play at 6pm (local time), it doesn’t really bother us.
“We just come here to do our job, and that’s to be the best version of ourselves, to be together, to compete, to give everything for each other and the nation back home, to make them proud and to try to win a football game.
“Everything that we can’t influence, like kick-off times or altitude or stuff at the hotel, is not in our control, so we just have to find solutions, which we’re pretty good at.”
England will be unable to fully acclimatize to altitude as they would have needed to arrive 10 days ago, but they have also arrived too early for the effects on their body not to take place.
They trained for the first time on Saturday in the Mexican capital and Henderson admitted it took a bit of getting used to.
“You can feel it a little bit, you can feel something,” he said.
“I felt it a little bit, even when you just land and you come to the hotel and you’re just walking around, you can feel something.”
The Azteca is a famous stadium in the history of English football and Tuchel’s men are the first side to play there since Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ moment 40 years ago.
“I think it’s a huge, huge occasion,” Henderson said. “It doesn’t get much better or bigger than playing Mexico in Mexico City in this stadium.
“No words really. It’s just an incredible occasion for everyone, and for us as a team, it’s about staying focused on what our objective is, and that’s to come here and win the game.
“Of course, that comes with challenges, Mexico are a very good side with very good players.
“It’ll be a really tough test, but every game in the World Cup is difficult.”
Continue reading...
