Mexico - A witness to history at the World Cup

When the opening whistle blows at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City for the 2026 World Cup, world football will witness an unprecedented milestone in history: Mexico will become the first country to host the World Cup three times, following the tournaments in 1970, 1986, and 2026.

However, those three hosting occasions reflect three very different periods in the history of world football.

1970 - Pele's Stage

In 1970, Mexico brought about a revolution. This was the first World Cup held in North America and also the first World Cup to be televised in color globally.

The tournament featured only 16 teams but produced one of the greatest champions in history when Pelé's Brazil defeated Italy 4-1 in the final at the Azteca Stadium.

Pele and his teammates celebrate winning the 1970 World Cup.

The opening match that year was between Mexico and the Soviet Union, ending in a 0-0 draw in front of over 100,000 spectators at Azteca.

1986 - Honoring Maradona

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Sixteen years later, Mexico once again came to FIFA's rescue by winning the right to host the 1986 World Cup after Colombia withdrew due to economic difficulties. Despite a devastating earthquake in 1985, the country successfully hosted the tournament. This was the first time in history that a country had hosted the World Cup a second time.

If the 1970 World Cup was Pelé's stage, then the 1986 World Cup belonged to Diego Maradona. It was at the Azteca Stadium that the Argentine legend created two immortal moments against England: "The Hand of God" and "The Goal of the Century," before leading Argentina to victory.

The whole world celebrated the Golden Boy of 1986.

The opening match of 1986 saw Italy draw 1-1 with Bulgaria. Meanwhile, hosts Mexico put in an impressive performance, reaching the quarter-finals – their best World Cup performance, matching the 1970 tournament.

2026 - A New Era

By 2026, Mexico will continue to make history in a completely new context. This will be the first World Cup with 48 teams and 104 matches, and also the first time the tournament will be hosted by three countries: Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

Estadio Azteca also became the first stadium in the world to host three World Cup opening matches.

Azteca Stadium - a witness to history

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If the 1970 World Cup is associated with Pelé, and the 1986 World Cup with Maradona, then the 2026 World Cup will be remembered as the World Cup of expansion and globalization.

From 16 teams to 48 teams, from one host nation to three co-hosting nations, Mexico's journey as host nation is also the journey of development of the planet's biggest football event over the past half-century.

Source: https://danviet.vn/mexico--chung-nhan-lich-su-tai-world-cup-d1434135.html