The Estadio Azteca in Mexico City becomes the first stadium to host a third World Cup opener on Thursday, further cementing its status as one of the most iconic grounds in footballing history after welcoming the 1970 and 1986 editions. The hallowed venue, modernised for the occasion, plays host to the curtain-raiser between Mexico and South Africa, with the home nation desperate to end the curse that has seen them fail to win on each of their previous seven opening-day World Cup matches. Read moreFootball and politics collide as World Cup kicks off in shadow of war, travel bans “We must break that trend,” coach Javier Aguirre told reporters at the Azteca, four decades after sporting Mexico’s green jersey as a player the last time the country hosted a World Cup. The choice of the Azteca for the curtain-raiser, a day before co-hosts Canada and the United States stage their first games, is a nod to the venue’s historical significance. This is where the great Pelé lifted his third World Cup title – a feat unmatched to this day – at the 1970 edition, regarded by many as the finest ever.
Pelé lifts the World Cup, carried by his teammates, after Brazil's victory over Italy. © AP file photo
