Alongside Canada and the United States of America, Mexico will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In 2026, El Tri will become the first nation to have hosted the biggest tournament on the planet on three separate occasions.
Ahead of this winter’s 2022 tournament in Qatar, HITC Sport takes a look at when Mexico previously hosted the World Cup.
When did Mexico host the World Cup?
Mexico first hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1970 and the nation witnessed first-hand the brilliance of Brazil who took Italy apart in the final at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City.
An inspired Selecao, who were led by the instrumental Pele, were far too strong for the Azzurri and ran out comfortable 4-1 winners.
The showpiece in Mexico City was Pele’s final World Cup match and the three-time World Cup winner scored and set up two before retiring for Brazil a year later.
Pele provided the assist for the memorable and iconic goal by Brazil captain Carlos Alberto, which remains one of the greatest goals ever scored in the history of the tournament.
Sixteen years after seeing one of the greatest players of all time lift the World Cup, the Estadio Azteca witnessed Diego Maradona’s Argentina oust West Germany 3-2 in the final.
It was in Mexico where Maradona’s infamous ‘hand of god’ goal against England played out, it was also in that very quarter-final clash where the late Argentine scored one of the greatest individual goals in the history of football.
While Mexico will be hoping to host two of this generation’s greatest players of all time, it would be a surprise to see Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both feature in North America.
Messi would be 39 come 2026 and Ronaldo would be 41, but as the legendary duo have shown throughout their glittering careers – never write them off.
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