Mexico's fiery boss, the English word he'll scream and why Thomas Tuchel should worry

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Mexico manager Javier Aguirre has the World Cup hopes of a nation on his shoulders and the chance to end England’s aspirations at his feet.

The Three Lions will enter the Azteca gauntlet when Thomas Tuchel’s side take on the co-hosts on Monday (1am kick-off). Roared on by the home supporters in Mexico City and the millions across the country in the opposite dugout will be the 67-year-old. There is one Englishman who knows ‘El Vasco’ better than most, Stuart Gelling. The former Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers academy coach struck a friendship with the Tricolour mastermind.

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Aguirre contacted Gelling through a Mexican contact during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as he looked to pave a way into football for his then-teenage son, Inaki. Aguirre Jr was on the books in Lancashire for two years, but a different, life-changing call for Gelling came from the Mexican tactician in 2014. "He phoned me out of the blue and said he'd been offered the Japan job,” Gellings says, exclusively speaking to Mirror Football . “He asked, 'would I come be his assistant at Japan?' It was a great experience. The language was difficult but I thoroughly enjoyed it, he was a great fella to work for.”

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The Mexican, who goes by the nickname of El Vasco or The Basque , made 59 appearances for the Tricolor with a home World Cup among those in 1986. After playing in the prestigious competition with Mexico, he has now managed in three World Cups, with this his third spell in charge after 2002 and 2010.

But Aguirre cut his teeth in the dugout across Mexico, with Atlante and Pachuca, and Spain , where he has led the likes of Osasuna, Atletico Madrid, Real Zaragoza and Espanyol.

The 67-year-old is an admirer of the English game, and he still holds aspirations of becoming the first Mexican to manage in the Premier League .

In each of the three occasions he has led Mexico at the World Cup, Aguirre has guided them out of the Group Stages. The experienced tactician’s nous in knockout competitions and his man-management ability are something that is a threat to Tuchel and his men.

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Gelling says: “If you don't speak the language or understand the culture, it can be difficult that's why if you look at Javier and his history, he understands the mentality, that's why I think he'll have this Mexico team fired up.

“He's really personable, he'll have the lads going 100 per cent for the country and the badge. The Mexican fans demand, it'll be massive, massive for people, I don't think we even realise. Getting through the group stage and the knockout round is a big plus; if they can turn England over, he'd be a hero over there.

"Javier's tough, a tough character, a tough player when he played, but infectious. I've dealt with a lot of people; Javier can walk into a room and light it up.

“He's quite unique, he's a people person. It's a massive game playing England, the Azteca in your own country, it's probably the biggest game for a long time in Mexico. England are a big name in world football, if Mexico can turn them over, it'd be massive for them."

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As well as the altitude, with the Azteca 2,200 metres above sea level, England will come up against a raucous Mexican crowd.

They boast one of the best defensive records in the tournament with no goals conceded in each of their first four matches. Julian Quinones tops the charts as their top goalscorer with three, while Wolves striker Raul Jimenez added his second of the tournament during the last-32 2-0 win over Ecuador .

England struggled against a resolute DR Congo side, inspired by their goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau. Tuchel and his backroom staff would have laboured over hours of footage trying to ascertain what type of Mexico side they will face.

Gelling says: "They've got home advantage, the biggest thing is that he'll make them competitive. The Azteca, however many Mexican fans supporting them, there'll be a passion there, it'll be a difficult game for England.”

And if England are winning, Aguirre will know how to spark a response.

“His favourite English word is motherf******. He'll be saying to them, 'come on motherf******, we need to have a right good go'.

“He'd be aggressive and passionate. If they're getting turned over, he'll be into them, he'll talk about being proud of their country, doing their families proud.