England players arrive in Mexico to boos and jeers after team hotel location leaked | OneFootball

Armed police also made up the welcome party ahead of World Cup last-16 clash

England players were booed as they arrived at their Mexico City hotel ahead of Sunday’s World Cup last-16 clash with the co-hosts.

The Three Lions have landed in Mexico, two days before taking on the intimidating Azteca atmosphere - and altitude - on Sunday evening.

According to reports, squad and staff members were jeered to chants of “Mexico, Mexico, Mexico” from guests at the hotel bars as they checked in, but shrugged off the taunts.

Security has been stepped up at the hotel following after Ecuador players were subjected to fireworks, loudspeakers and horns the nigh before losing to Mexico in the previous round.

The Football Association had hoped to keep the location of their team hotel a secret, picking a different establishment to Ecuador.

Mexico City mayor Clara Brugada had urged Mexican fans to behave “responsibly, carefully and with empathy.”

But hundreds of rival fans were in attendance to greet Harry Kane, Thomas Tuchel & Co. A smattering of England fans were also part of the welcome party.

Also in attendance was said to be over 300 police officers on duty, many holding riot shields and others heavily armed.

England arrive in Mexico

The FA via Getty Images

One England fan told the Mirror: “It’s been pretty good spirited - they’ve been some boos but nothing nasty at all.

“Everyone was chatting together … it will be a different over the weekend.”

England will hold an open training session at 3pm local time (11pm UK time), which will be the players’ first public experience of the high altitude.

Mexico City sits around 2,200m above sea level, which means there is less oxygen available. Tuchel has already accepted that his players will not acclimatise.

There were discussions, as England flew south to Mexico, to move the game forward by six hours amid the threat of thunderstorms.

But a backlash from both the England and Mexican FAs will see the game will now start as originally scheduled, at 1am UK time into Monday morning.

There remains a 90 per cent chance of lightning around Azteca Stadium at the time of kick-off.