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There is no doubt that the Estadio Azteca left players and visitors stunned during the 2026 World Cup. Now, Kieran Gibbs, a former player for Arsenal and the England national team, has added his voice to the praise for the venue's atmosphere.
In an interview with the Soccerwise podcast, Gibbs recounted that he attended the match between Mexico and England as a fan and stated that the experience felt like it was from another planet. He even compared the moment to a movie and said it seemed created by the gods of football.
“It didn’t feel like we were on this planet. It felt like something created, like from a movie, by the gods of football.”
Kieran Gibbs recalls his experience at the Estadio Azteca
Gibbs, who has played in legendary European stadiums like Wembley and San Siro, explained that his experience at the Estadio Azteca was insane. Furthermore, he noted that the architecture of the venue played a role, as upon entering, he could feel its history.
“It was crazy. Even with the way the stadium is built, because I was sitting in the lower rows, and in those rows, you have to go down into the interior of the stadium, through the tunnels, before going up. So, just that experience, walking in while the echoes resonated between the bricks, made you feel the history of the stadium.”
The former Arsenal player also highlighted the atmosphere during the match. As he described, every time Mexico or England scored a goal, he ended up drenched in beer.
“And then, when heading out to my seat, every time we scored a goal, or even every time they scored, the Mexicans would soak us in beer... It was just something incredible. I mean, I couldn't believe it.”
Kieran Gibbs highlights the noise and drama of the Mexico vs. England match
Gibbs stated that another thing that surprised him most was the level of noise and drama throughout the match. He even said he hesitated to attend other matches, as he didn't think any could surpass the experience of the Mexico vs. England game.
“I couldn’t believe the level of noise throughout the whole game, all that drama. After that, I was left thinking: ‘I don’t even know if it’s worth going to more games.’ How... how can you top that? I didn’t know what else to expect after that.”
The former Arsenal player added that he ran into John Stones, an England player, during his vacation. According to him, Stones revealed that playing at the Estadio Azteca “was something completely different from any other match” he had ever played.
Gibbs expressed that this conversation made him realize the magnitude of the event he experienced at the Estadio Azteca.
“That gives you an idea of how crazy it all was. Incredible.”
[Publicidad]