In Aztec mythology, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca represent two opposing but complementary parts of a whole – like yin and yang. Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, is the god of light and order and his brother Tezcatlipoca, the smoky mirror, symbolizes night and chaos.Forty years ago in the giant Estadio Azteca, named in honor of Mexico’s ancestral heritage, this powerful myth and transformative cosmic duality found its divine expression. An equally mythical player exploded with such force and madness that its seismic waves are still felt in the world of football.As England return to the Azteca stage – sitting more than two kilometers above sea level – to face co-hosts Mexico in this World Cup’s round-of-16 clash, Harry Kane and Co. burdened as challenging situations as the ghost of Diego Maradona.In Mexico ’86, after struggling in the group stage, England seemed to have settled into their rhythm by beating Paraguay 3-0 at the Azteca, with Gary Lineker scoring a brace and setting up a high-voltage clash against Argentina. However, little did Bobby Robson’s team know that the paradox of Maradona’s art would come to consume them more brutally yet more beautifully.If his first goal from the ‘Hand of God’ was probably the result of a force born in Tezcatlipoca, his second – which is now respected as ‘the goal of the century’ – came out of nowhere with all its enigma and fun, with all its light and order, his extraordinary run past six players in England injecting an unpredictable genius, pleasant feeling and attractive image of the game.The build-up to Argentina’s rivalry with England is based heavily around the Falklands War, a 10-week conflict between the two countries in 1982 over a territory in the South Atlantic about 300 miles off the coast of Argentina.As if driven by a personal war, Maradona took up arms – his left hand and his left foot to be exact – mixed with chaos and magic and single-handedly proceeded to defeat England 2-1 and lead Argentina to their second World Cup title in 1986.His first goal came in the 51st minute. As he tried to play a one-two with Jorge Valdano on the edge of the box, the Argentine forward could not control it properly facing a challenge from England midfielder Steve Hodge and the ball was circled in the air. The goalkeeper Peter Shilton tried to beat the danger but a five-foot-five-inch Maradona quickly rose to the occasion, his small body was initially shaped as if to head the ball but instead came out with a fist and a punch, the ball bounced into an empty net.Neither the Tunisian referee Ali bin Nasser nor the Bulgarian linesman Bogdan Dochev suspected and Maradona ran to celebrate in front of his father in the stands.“Un poco con la cabeza de Maradona y otro poco con la mano de Dios (‘A little in Maradona’s head and a little in the hand of God),” Maradona later said of the goal.But when he returned to call again four minutes later, a shocking 10 seconds of brilliance played out on the sacred Azteca grass in what Valdano described as “Diego’s personal journey”.First a double dragback to avoid Peter Beardsley and then Reid. This was followed by his usual change of pace, before going past Terry Butcher and Fenwick without trouble, and finally rounding Shilton to complete the move.Thus was born the legend of Maradona — at his most irresistible and intoxicating.The current manager of England, Thomas Tuchel was 12-years-old at the time, watching the game from home in Germany. “The one dribbling and the one … yeah, which would never stand these days,” he will teach now.Could a German be a ghostbuster for England? Tuchel believes fortune was on England’s side four decades ago. “We will recover. It’s Karma. Karma will come back for us,” he said before the match against Mexico.With such high expectations comes another challenge. the altitude factor. Many believe that Bob Beamon’s legendary long jump world record of 8.90 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City was greatly aided by the city’s high elevation. Maradona was not there but the past and present weighed heavily on Tuchel’s team as they sought to scale a dizzying height.