England superfan returns to Azteca stadium for Mexico World Cup tie 40 years after infamous 'Hand of God' game

England superfan returns to Azteca stadium for Mexico World Cup tie 40 years after infamous 'Hand of God' game EXCLUSIVE: England fan Peter Robinson who inside the Azteca when we last played forty years ago and got lift back to his hotel in the back of a police pick-up has shared his incredible memories Superfan Peter Robinson was inside Mexico's Azteca stadium the last time England played here 40 years ago. He was just one of the 114,580 fans watching the Three Lions in the searing heat that day. And he’s been back here at the 2026 World Cup supporting his beloved England on an extraordinary journey that has taken him to eleven World Cups. Peter’s pictures tell an amazing story which illustrates a completely different era. It was one of England’s most famous ever matches when Diego Maradona scored both his ‘Hand of God’ goal and ‘Goal of the Century’. Sunderland supporter Peter, now 69, told the Mirror of his memories of the Azteca - where England will face Mexico on Sunday. He said: “I remember there were even tanks outside the ground that day. It certainly was a different era then But after the game the Mexican police gave hundreds of England fans return lifts into the city in the back of official police pick up trucks. I jumped in one. There were no seat belts or health and safety issues back then!” Peter was 29-years-old when he flew to Mexico for his “best World Cup of them all.” The match was played just four years after the bitter Falklands War when Argentina invaded to the islands they call the Malvinas. Peter, from Hayes, Middlesex is a retired British Airways ramp worker. He said: “I remember most of the Mexicans actually supporting England that day. "I’m not sure if they had some sort of rivalry with the Argentinians. They were very friendly. It will be different on Sunday. I recall lots of police and soldiers there plus tanks outside the stadium. “There were probably around 4000 England fans there - many from America but most of the ground were Argentinian fans. It was a massive stadium back then with a lot of terracing and was very hot and humid. “We had actually been there four days earlier when we beat Paraguay 3-0. We stayed in Acapulco that week because Mexico City had been hit by an earthquake six months earlier and families were living on the streets so wasn't very nice. “I’ve been to eleven world cups and that was probably my favourite especially as we we had tickets to every England game.” And he warned Three Lions supporters to expect a cauldron on Sunday. He said the passion of the Mexico fans is incredible. Over one million took to the streets earlier this week after their victory over Ecuador. Tragically four people died. Peter added: “I don’t think England can win it but I think we can make the quarter or semi finals. “At least there won’t be any Maradona style controversy now with VAR around. We didn’t even know it was handball until we got back to the hotel after the game - we assumed it was a header Now 40 years on he is hoping for a different result in the same stadium.