"And if so": Mexico has home advantage to chase away the ghost of the round of 16

Mexico reaches the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup experiencing a scenario it hasn't experienced in a long time: confidence. Undefeated, with four wins in four games and without conceding goals, the host team turned a joke from the stands into a symbol of the campaign so far.

The question "¿Y si sí?" ("And if so?") took over Mexican stadiums during the World Cup. What started as a joke among fans became a mantra repeated in chorus after the 2-0 victory over Ecuador, a result that ended a 40-year streak without winning a knockout match in World Cups.

The phrase refers to a common comment among sports communicators in the country: "We know not, but what if so?". According to FIFA, the idea is simple: to fuel, between humor and hope, the possibility of Mexico finally breaking its historic barriers in the tournament.

Now, to continue dreaming, El Tri will face one of the biggest challenges of the competition. On Sunday (5), at 9pm (Brasília time), the team will face England for a place in the quarter-finals.

The English team arrives powered by the strength of stars like Harry Kane, but will need to take Mexico's biggest star into consideration: the fans. After all, perhaps it's no surprise that the only times the team managed to get past the round of 16 in World Cups happened precisely in the comfort of home.

Fans as an asset
The team will once again play a match in Mexico City, where they transformed the stadium into a fortress. Considering the last participations in World Cups, the country has seven wins and two draws in its nine games at home in the World Cup, in addition to a sequence of seven matches without conceding goals at home.

In this edition, the environment created by the fans has been highlighted as a differentiator. More than 80,000 people filled the stadium in the victory over Ecuador, in a party marked by traditional music and constant support throughout the 90 minutes.

Coach Javier Aguirre highlighted the atmosphere after qualifying.

"I haven't seen the stadium like this in 40 years," he said.

On the other hand, striker Santiago Giménez tried to contain his euphoria.

"We don't think we've made history yet, we have to go for more, we're hungry for more and we'll have the great opportunity to play at home again. As for 'what if so', not yet. There's a long way to go. There's no reason to speed things up," he said.

Ghost that just doesn't have time at home
Despite its tradition in World Cups, Mexico still seeks to break a historical limit. The team has never played in a semi-final of the tournament.

The best campaigns took place precisely when the country hosted the competition. In 1970 and 1986, the Mexicans reached the quarterfinals, but were eliminated.

Now, against England, the team will have another opportunity to challenge this record. In addition to its good trajectory, Mexico can rely on an old ally: playing in front of its fans. Driven by the perfect campaign, the strength of the stands and the mantra that won over the country, the team is betting that the answer to the question echoing in the stands may finally be positive.

After all, what if so?

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Source: CNN