It would be wrong to say that the 2026 World Cup starts now for England.The round-of-32 tie with DR Congo on Wednesday turned into a test of nerve, one they ultimately only passed thanks to Harry Kane’s late brilliance, but ultimately the result, England going through, should not have come as a surprise.A last-16 encounter with Mexico in Mexico, however, is a very different proposition. England must not only overcome the best team they have faced at the tournament so far, but also a hostile home crowd in Mexico City and the physical challenge of playing at altitude (Estadio Azteca is 2,240m/1.3 miles above sea level).So who should be picked for this daunting task? A group of The Athletic’s writers assess the options for head coach Thomas Tuchel.Get free access to the most comprehensive World Cup coverage in The Athletic appJack Pitt-BrookeSo much of this team picks itself, but there were some clear issues in the DR Congo game which need to be addressed.The first is that the defence was a mess, both with and without the ball. That means that John Stones has to come back in. It is baffling to me that he started the opening group game against Croatia but none of the three matches since. I’d have him alongside Marc Guehi at centre-back.The question then is who plays at right-back, and there is a case to be made that Djed Spence is best equipped to handle the pace of Julian Quinones. But he looked a bit lost on Wednesday, so I would take him out of the spotlight. Assuming that Jarell Quansah and Reece James are not ready after injuries, maybe the safest option is to move Ezri Konsa across from central defence. But there is no perfect solution to this.The attacking players are easier to pick.I would stick with Declan Rice, even though he was struggling against DR Congo, as there is no one else. I would reward Anthony Gordon for his two assists by bringing him back into the starting XI.The hardest choice is on the right, but I would also retain Noni Madueke, for all his flaws, because he is such a willing runner and useful outlet for England.Do Mexico fans fear playing England?Reuben Pinder and Joe CrisalliOliver KayThe three problem positions — or difficult decisions, at least — are right-back and the two wingers.I would recall John Stones in central defence and switch Ezri Konsa to right-back, where he has played many times for Aston Villa. The defence has been pretty shaky so far — flattered by a record of one goal conceded in the past three games — and I feel this would offer more security than anything we have seen from England in this World Cup.The wingers are much of a muchness, really. If Bukayo Saka was fit and on form, you would start him, but I felt Noni Madueke was more dangerous against DR Congo. Anthony Gordon or Marcus Rashford on the left? They have both looked more impressive when coming off the bench than when starting. Personally, I quite like the idea of Morgan Rogers starting on the left, but that clearly isn’t going to happen.Can England conquer the Azteca?Mark Critchley & Emma PatonI’ll say Saka and Rashford to start — with Madueke maybe more of an impact player off the bench and Gordon having played that role well on Wednesday — but it’s not a hill I would I want to die on. In fact, it’s not even a hill I would be that bothered about standing on. Much of a muchness, as I said.