The court heard the accused has convictions for causing damage, breaching bail, breaching court orders, making threats and assaulting police

A convicted sex offender accused of sexually assaulting a housing association employee has been refused bail over fears of further offending.

Revealing that Ahmed Yaasiin Abdikarim has previous convictions for sexual assault, criminal damage and making threats to kill, Mr Justice McAlinden said he was refusing bail given the amount of “red flags” associated with the case.

“This man is a convicted sex offender and is on the register,” he told the High Court, “I mean, it has so many red flags flying, I think I may suffer some sort of epileptic fit if I see more red flags here.”

The 36-year-old, with an address given as c/o HMP Maghaberry, is on remand facing a charge of sexual assault alleged to have been committed on April 30 this year.

During a contested application for bail on Thursday, Crown Counsel outlined how the complainant is a female employee of a housing association.

She and a colleague went to perform a welfare check on Abdikarim on April 30 but when they arrived, two other men were in the property as well.

They were asked to leave and they did but afterwards, when the complainant was talking to Abdikarim, he began “to caress her arm making her feel uncomfortable.”

“She told him repeatedly to stop but he refused and continued to rub her arm then started rubbing her back,” the barrister told the court.

The complainant stepped back and told him to stop, but Abdikarim moved towards her and put his arm around her, started rubbing her back and commenting on her breasts, the court heard.

At one point, one of the other two men who had been in the property pushed Abdikarim, pointed to the ground “and told him to stand there,” the prosecutor told the court.

It was then that the housing association employees left and were able to report the alleged incident to police.

Abdikarim was arrested but during police interviews, his account changed and varied, from denying that anything happened, to accepting that he may have touched her shoulder, suggesting that “it was a complete fabrication” and then saying that he wanted to apologise to the woman.

Revealing that Abdikarim has multiple previous convictions, including one entry for sexual assault which resulted in a five-month prison sentence, Crown Counsel said there were objections to bail due to concerns about further offending and witness interference.

She also confirmed to Mr Justice McAlinden that as a result, Abdikarim is on the police sex offenders register for seven years and is the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

The court also heard however, that Abdikarim has breached the requirements of the sex register by failing to notify police of his address and that he is being investigated for other matters.

Defence counsel Kelly Doherty stressed that Abdikarim denies the offences, and contended that by the time the case is dealt with, “he will be time served.”

“It is really a management issue,” she suggested, submitting that with a package of bail conditions, that Abdikarim could be realised.

Mr Justice McAlinden disagreed, however, and highlighting that Abdikarim has convictions for causing damage, breaching bail, breaching court orders, making threats and assaulting police, in addition to the entry for sexual assault, he refused bail.

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Folarin Balogun will be available for the USA’s World Cup last-16 clash with Belgium after despite being sent off in the previous round

Folarin Balogun will be free to feature against Belgium in the World Cup after his one-match suspension was handed a reprieve. United States striker Balogun was dismissed against Bosnia and Herzegovina but has successfully avoided a ban for the last-16 clash.

The former Arsenal youngster, who qualifies for the US having been born there after his mother was too far along in pregnancy to board a flight, received a straight red card for a challenge on Tarik Muharemovic. Under Article 10.5 of FIFA’s tournament regulations, a sending-off automatically triggers a one-match ban.

Balogun was not initially shown a red card, but referee Raphael Claus was advised by VAR to review the incident again. Having consulted the pitchside monitor, Claus ruled that Balogun had committed a “serious foul” and duly dismissed him.

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Under normal circumstances, such a decision cannot be challenged, yet it now appears that Balogun will be cleared to face Belgium with his suspension held in abeyance. FIFA have confirmed via an official statement that the striker’s ban has been suspended for 12 months.

They said: “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has imposed the following sanction on United States national-team player Folarin Balogun, who was sent off as a result of a direct red card during the FIFA World Cup 2026TM match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina played on 1 July 2026 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium: One-match suspension for breaches of articles 14 and 66 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC).

“In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year. If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”

“It’s been a rollercoaster, there’s been lots of different emotions,” Balogun told reporters before training on Friday. “I’ve been sad, I’ve been happy, it’s been surreal to be honest.

“It’s important for me to say, obviously, first and foremost, it was totally unintentional, which I’m sure a lot of people know. I don’t think it was the correct call. I think a yellow card would have been fair.”

Having anticipated being confined to an off-field role, it now appears Balogun will play a far more central part in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.

“Just to support the boys, ‌support the team,” he said. “I love seeing how engaged the country is in our journey and what we’re doing. I think my role is just to continue to support everybody, to keep morale high.”

Both Pochettino and team-mate Christian Pulisic had maintained that Balogun should never have received a red card to begin with. “For me? Never a red card,” head coach Mauricio Pochettino said.

“Never an intention to step on the player. It was a normal action in football that happened by accident.

“It’s just so unfortunate, honestly,” star player Christian Pulisic said. “Looking back at it, it just seems so harsh. I just told him, he’s done so much for us, and now we got his back.”

Balogun has been a key figure in the United States’ run through the tournament to date. The 25-year-old has registered a goal contribution in every match, including three goals.

And from Union Jack socks to babies with flags on their heads, the crowd came dressed for the occasion.

The free event, held at South Park’s Victorian bandstand every year, ran from 3pm to 6pm and drew families, couples and groups of friends who filled the lawns around the ornate green and white stand, many having staked out their spot with folding chairs and cool boxes.

This year’s performers included the Band of the Army Medical Services, who took to the bandstand in their distinctive red tunics alongside a pipe band that marched through the crowd to considerable applause.

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Proms in the Park, Darlington. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Army Benevolent Fund, the Army’s national charity, was the beneficiary of this year’s event.

The weather tested the crowd’s commitment – umbrellas went up during the afternoon – but the spirit never wavered.

The event is free to attend and requires no tickets, though organisers encouraged early arrival to secure a good spot.

Jesse Eisenberg has no plans to leave the United States, despite his unhappiness with Donald Trump’s presidency.

Although the Zombieland star, 42, was granted his Polish citizenship last year, he said at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic that he feels a “responsibility” to stay in New York City, where he lives with his wife, Anna Strout, and their son.

“I am a very lucky American,” the actor-turned-director said, as Variety reported. “I have a nice life. My wife is a teacher, and she teaches a lot of students who are not as lucky as we are.”

He continued: “I think we feel, if anything, a responsibility to stay in New York and help those who are struggling through a tougher period in American history. No, I’m not going to leave because I don’t like the politics of America. That seems a little silly, because my life is very good.”

The filmmaker first applied for Polish citizenship in 2024 after working on his movie A Real Pain, which was was inspired by the passing of Eisenberg’s great aunt in 2019, who had fled to the United States from Poland in 1938.

Eisenberg is an activist who has openly spoken out against billionaires hoarding wealth in the past, particularly in the case of Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, who he portrayed in the 2010 film The Social Network.

His stance against Zuckerberg led him to turn down reprising the role for Aaron Sorkin’s forthcoming sequel to the 2010 hit, The Social Reckoning, saying: “I don’t want to be associated with that character.”

Eisenberg saying he plans to stay in America comes as multiple other celebrities have left the U.S. after Trump was reelected to the White House in 2024.

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Rosie O’Donnell has been one of the most outspoken people about her decision to leave the country. She moved to Ireland in January 2025 with her youngest child, Clay, due to her decades-long feud with Trump.

She said in a TikTok addressing her decision in March 2025: ‘It’s not easy to move to another country, and we really felt as a family this was the safest and best thing for us to do. I feel healthier, I’m sleeping better without the stress and anxiety over what was happening politically in the country.”

Another former talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres, confirmed last year that she and her wife, former actor Portia de Rossi, decided to move to the U.K. after Trump was elected.

The roundabout will be reduced to one lane for a whole year

The leader of Peterborough City Council has offered an apology to Peterborough motorists who will be inconvenienced by the upcoming Queensgate roundabout roadworks.

Dr Shabina Qayyum took the opportunity to acknowledge how disruptive the scheduled works are likely to be as she addressed colleagues at a Full Council meeting on Wednesday, July 1.

She said: “Works will get underway next week for the City Link project, the first phase of the £65m scheme to breathe new life into our railway station, and the land around it. There will be disruption for people while the works are taking place. We’re sorry about that; we cannot avoid that.”

Beginning on July 6, the works will see the Queensgate Roundabout – one of the busiest in the entire city – reduced to just one lane for around a year. The lane closure will enable the subway underneath the roundabout to be filled in with more than a thousand tonnes of concrete, and accommodate other landscaping works to regenerate the area.

Cllr Qayyum said: “We will look at how we can flex and adapt during the works to keep disruption to a minimum. We’re asking people to leave extra time for their journeys and avoid the area if possible.

“This project will transform our city centre and create a more welcoming and safer route from the train station. Please support this game-changing, once-in-a-generation, re-generation project for our city.”

Molly Mae Hague and her boyfriend Tommy Fury stepped out in Cheshire on Saturday with their daughter Bambi, three, and newborn son Midas. 

The Love Island stars, both 27, looked to be feeling the strain of newborn life as they emerged with their brood – just days after Molly-Mae took to Instagram to share snaps from their delirious feeding sessions in the wee hours.

After heading out for the day, the influencer shared a slew of snaps showing the routine of the day and admitting she is ‘winging it every day’. 

Dressed in low-key looks, the duo remained straight-faced as Molly-Mae pushed Midas in his pram while Tommy held Bambi’s hand.

In her Instagram posts, she shared a sweet image showing her cradling Midas, who they welcomed last month, while Bambi held a balloon – however Molly-Mae put emphasis on the dark roots in her bleach blonde hair. 

The Love Island stars, both 27, looked to be feeling the strain of newborn life as they emerged with their brood – just days after Molly-Mae took to Instagram to share snaps from their delirious feeding sessions in the wee hours

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In her Instagram posts, she shared a sweet image showing her cradling Midas, who they welcomed last month, while Bambi held a balloon – however Molly-Mae put emphasis on the dark roots in her bleach blonde hair

She added a caption reading: ‘Me and my mile long roots just winging it every day’, while she also shared a snap showing her in brown pyjamas on her bed kissing Midas and a selfie as she prepared to leave the house. 

Tommy was giving a nod to his sportsman self in a windbreaker and tracksuit bottoms as they walked along the street in unison. 

Earlier in the week, Molly-Mae offered hilarious insight into her late-night feeds with Midas in a sweet Instagram post on Friday.

While Molly-Mae has shared she’s found raising a newborn easier this time round, she did confess to her followers that the midnight feeds were taking their toll.

She posted an amusing video of Tommy trying on her high heels, as she confessed the ‘delusion’ from the lack of sleep had begun to set in. Posting a video of herself feeding her son, she added: ‘If you don’t laugh, you’ll certainly cry.’

Molly-Mae recently revealed she is now almost certain that she’s done having children, but that is said to have caused issues with her in-laws.

New reports claim that Tommy’s family are reportedly ‘feeling excluded’ after Midas’ birth, and that the couple’s cultural differences are causing problems.

Molly has given candid insight into life as a second time mum 

She shared a selfie with her list of to dos before she heads out with her baby

Molly-Mae offered a hilarious insight into her late-night feeds with her baby son Midas in a sweet Instagram post on Friday

While Molly-Mae has shared she’s found raising a newborn easier this time round, she did confess to her followers that the midnight feeds were taking their toll

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Molly-Mae was in charge of the pram while Tommy and Bambi were hot on her heels

A source told The Sun: ‘Ultimately, Molly comes from a different world to Tommy, and in spite of the best of efforts at times, there have always been difficulties blending their worlds and their wider families.

‘There is ongoing grumbling and remarks over family expectations and how much time – or lack of it – Tommy’s family get to spend with the children.’

They added that Molly-Mae’s comments about not wanting any more children have ‘gone down really badly within the family’ as they said: ‘Within the Travelling community, having a big family with lots of children is the norm.’

A source close to Molly-Mae has denied there being any rift between the influencer and Tommy’s family.

The Daily Mail has contacted Molly-Mae’s representatives for comment.

In Molly-Mae’s video, she spoke about how content she felt with having two children.

She said: ‘I just feel like I’m ready to stop at two. So, the fact that we were blessed with a boy and we have a son. We couldn’t be luckier and I couldn’t be happier.’

The reality star also spoke candidly about the struggle of becoming a first-time mother with Bambi.

She said after Bambi she ‘mourned her old life’ as she spoke about how she ‘really struggled’ in the first six months of becoming a first-time mother.

Molly-Mae explained: ‘I feel like a completely different version of myself this time round to who I was postpartum with Bambi. There’s no way to actually compare it.

She also shared a snap showing her in brown pyjamas on her bed kissing Midas and a selfie as she prepared to leave the house

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In a recent video, she spoke about how content she felt with having two children.

‘A lot of you will know that postpartum with Bambi I truly did struggle so much. I think looking back that I probably did have postpartum depression to some extent, definitely for the first three months to six months.

‘I honestly cannot remember a lot of that time with Bambi and feel like I’ve completely blurred it from my memory and tried to forget in a sad way. I was so out of my depth. I felt like I didn’t have a clue what I was doing.

‘This is totally my opinion, you cannot compare the mental effects of going from zero to one and then one to two children. And that’s just my opinion.’

A record crowd at Silverstone were furious as 175,000 fans were denied a last lap shoot-out with the British Grand Prix finishing behind a safety car in bizarre scenes.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc ended up winning from Mercedes’s George Russell following Max Verstappen’s crash with four laps of the race remaining.

But the packed grandstands – part of a record-breaking 564,000 across the race weekend – booed after the ensuing safety car stayed out for the final lap of the race, despite race control signalling that it would be called in.

There was no explanation for why it did so but fans were clearly furious, booing vociferously.

An FIA statement later, explained: “The safety car period regulation, Article B5. 13.5, states that one lap must be completed following the unlapping procedure. This process was followed by race operations. The “Safety Car In This Lap” message was displayed erroneously due to a software error.”

The decision to leave it out denied Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, in third place, the opportunity to attack Russell on fresh soft tyres. Hamilton had stopped when the safety car initially came out, losing track position to Russell.

Russell admitted afterwards that his tyres were “stone cold” meaning he would have been unlikely to have held on to his place.

The Princess of Wales has shared a sweet tribute to her family and friends after she completed the gruelling Three Peaks Challenge in a bid to spread her deeply personal message about cancer.

In a touching post uploaded to Instagram, Catherine, 44, was seen sporting a pair of red shorts and a baseball cap, surrounded by those closest to her.

She captioned the images: ‘This time last week, completing the National Three Peaks Challenge. A huge thank you to everybody who has supported The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.’

All three of her children were out to show their support – with Charlotte, George and Louis each wearing their own practical pair of blue jeans as they smiled for the camera.

In one touching image, Kate could be seen warmly embracing her daughter who snuggled up close to her while the Princess leaned her cheek against Charlotte’s head.

In another, Charlotte reached towards her mother’s hand – meanwhile, the Royal’s youngest child, Louis, could be seen in the background playing with a dog.

Kate’s hair was tied back into a fashionable pony tail and she wore a pair of sturdy brown hiking boots with thick red socks to match the colour of her shorts.

The Princess did the challenge solo and was supported on the route by Mountain Rescue, with her family meeting her at the last stop at the base of Snowdon in Wales.

Kate, 44, is seen embracing her daughter Charlotte

She is seen here hugging William

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It has a total walking distance of 23 miles (37 kilometres), an ascent of 10,05ft of vertical climbing and a driving distance between the peaks of approximately 462 miles.

The Princess was driven between the peaks – Scotland, then England and finally Wales – by her team. It is not believed that any other member of the Royal Family has completed the Three Peaks Challenge, also making the princess’s triumph a royal first.

In a personally penned message, the Kate said: ‘Every year, hundreds of thousands of people in this country hear the words no one wants to hear. What follows is a path that tests every part of who we are: physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. The challenges ripple outwards, touching families, friendships, work and the quiet moments we spend alone with our thoughts.

‘Cancer doesn’t just affect the body. It changes how you think and feel and profoundly affects every aspect of life. I know this personally, and that the journey through and beyond treatment requires more than medicine alone.

‘I have taken on the National Three Peaks Challenge, not simply as a physical endeavour but as a chance to explore life beyond diagnosis and to give something back.’

The Three Peaks Challenge sees participants attempt to climb the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours: Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Scotland and the UK, standing at 4,413ft; Scarfell Pike, the highest peak in England, standing at 3,209ft and Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), the highest peak in Wales, standing at 3,560ft.

In a video shot before she started the challenge, the princess explained why she took it on, saying that it was ‘partly personal’, explaining: ‘I’m so grateful to be here, to be strong enough to walk these hills.‘

And she added: ‘But, more importantly, it’s to give something back and acknowledge, really, all the incredible work going on up and down this country.

‘I’ve met some incredible people – those people who are living with and beyond cancer – and I know personally how difficult that journey is.

‘I really wanted to use this opportunity as my way of contributing to all the wonderful work that’s going on, and in particular to support The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity – an organisation very dear to me, but who do extraordinary work supporting those living with and beyond the disease.’

The princess also wants to use her challenge to raise funds for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, which is launching a specially designed fundraising page for people across the nation to donate.

The funds raised for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity will support more people with cancer to benefit from holistic care.

The warning comes ahead of England’s match against Mexico, which is at 1.00 am, with Greater Manchester Police reminding supporters to celebrate safely and avoid drink-driving.

A Greater Manchester Police police spokesperson said in a statement: “Our message is simple, enjoy the occasion, drink responsibly, look after your friends and help ensure everyone can celebrate safely.”

With the match taking place earlier in the morning, there are concerns that some fans may continue drinking throughout following hours.

Greater Manchester Police said that some people might still be over the legal limit to drive the following morning.

The spokesperson added: “While you may feel fit to drive the following morning, alcohol can remain in your system for longer than you think and you could still be over the legal limit.”

Officers will carry out roadside drink and drug-driving checks across Greater Manchester tomorrow morning.

Police said plans are in place to keep people safe and that “policing the match will be no different to how we police any other busy Saturday night.”

So far, there have been only a “very small number” of incidents at licensed premises during England’s four previous matches.

Greater Manchester Police said this is encouraging and reflects how responsibly most people have enjoyed the tournament so far.

Officers are asking fans to continue celebrating sensibly to help keep themselves and others safe as the tournament progresses.

England take on Mexico in the World Cup 2026 round of 16 tonight and Thomas Tuchel has been dealt a fresh injury blow

Thomas Tuchel has been dealt a fresh injury blow ahead of England’s World Cup round of 16 encounter with Mexico tonight at the iconic Azteca Stadium.

Sky Sports report that Djed Spence is a new fitness concern and is unlikely to feature for the Three Lions at right-back as he is carrying an injury.

England have endured numerous problems in the position since Tino Livramento was compelled to withdraw from the squad before the tournament began.

Jarrel Quansah and Reece James have also been struck down by injuries since England’s World Cup campaign commenced last month.

Now Spence joins them with a problem which is expected to see Declan Rice deployed out of position or the recovered Quansah selected at right-back.

Whoever gets the nod will face three-goal Mexico left winger Julian Quinones, who is crucial to the co-hosts’ prospects of success.

Tuchel made no reference to any concerns over Spence in his pre-match press conference yesterday, when he declared that Rice was fit and James could make a return to the bench.

Tottenham full-back Spence trained with his team-mates beforehand, reports the Express.

“Reece is maybe on the bench tomorrow, let’s see,” his German head coach told talkSPORT. “But everyone else is fully available.”

He added: “Jarell trained and is fully available. Reece can maybe make it on the bench, but we need a last assessment from the doctors and a medical opinion.”

Should Rice line up at right-back, that could open the door for Jordan Henderson or Kobbie Mainoo to slot into midfield. Alternatively, Rice may continue alongside Elliot Anderson in the engine room if Quansah is restored to the starting eleven in place of Spence.

Tuchel’s selection largely picks itself in the majority of positions this evening, with first-choice goalkeeper Jordan Pickford certain to start between the sticks, while Nico O’Reilly, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Anderson, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane are all but guaranteed their places.

The remaining selection headaches facing Tuchel centre on the left wing, where Anthony Gordon is pushing to displace Marcus Rashford, and the right wing, where Noni Madueke could find himself dropped in favour of Bukayo Saka.

The England boss is looking forward to a thrilling encounter in Mexico City as his side seek to secure a quarter-final berth, where they would take on five-time champions Brazil or Norway in Atlanta next Saturday.

He said: “It’s even nicer than I expected. It just catches you straight away. Once we landed here and saw the excitement and emotions. The commitment of people for the World Cup.

“I felt straight away that this will be a proper World Cup match tomorrow. We knew it before. We are in an iconic place, an iconic stadium. A massive knockout game against Mexico in the Azteca Stadium. It’s an iconic match and a big stage and we feel it.

“We know about the situation. We spoke about it. We will take care of what needs to be taken care of and we need a strong performance and I think we will have one.”

Mexico have claimed victory in all four of their World Cup fixtures to date, keeping a clean sheet throughout. El Tri have also suffered just two competitive defeats at the Azteca since the stadium’s inauguration in 1966.

Tuchel added: “We know everything about the Mexican team. They are now in the top 10 in the world rankings. They have [had] some good results in the last matches. Not only now in the World Cup but especially since March where they played Belgium, Portugal. Top-tier nations.

“I think we are prepared. We saw the strengths. We [will] try to exploit weaknesses like always, but we are full of respect, but we also believe in us. We need to play the best version offensively and defensively that we showed until now in moments of every match. Tomorrow we will bring it together for a top performance that we need to achieve our goal to beat Mexico.”