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England midfielder Jordan Henderson has dismissed reports claiming the England team was using Viagra to deal with the high-altitude conditions in Mexico City before their FIFA World Cup 2026 round-of-16 match against Mexico at the Estadio Azteca.The rumours surfaced after reports suggested the drug could be used to help players cope with high-altitude conditions. Viagra is not prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), leading to speculation that some teams could consider it as an aid.England head coach Thomas Tuchel was first asked about the reports during his pre-match press conference and quickly ruled them out.“The information to support it didn’t reach me, so that’s not true,” Tuchel told reporters.Henderson then responded in a light-hearted manner before making it clear he was joking.“Well, the Viagra helped, I think… I’m joking! It was a joke,” Henderson joked.Away from the exchange, Henderson admitted that England’s players had noticed the effect of playing at high altitude since arriving in Mexico City.“You can feel it a little bit, you can feel something. I felt it a little bit, even when you just land and you come to the hotel and you’re just walking around, you can feel something. And then today, in training, for me personally I felt that maybe in the first 10-15 minutes and then once training got going I stopped thinking about it so much and just concentrated on training,” he said.England have been preparing for the conditions ahead of their knockout clash against Mexico, with the Estadio Azteca situated around 7,220 feet (2,240 metres) above sea level.At that height, the thinner air contains less oxygen, making it harder for players’ bodies to circulate oxygen efficiently during physical activity.England face Mexico in the round of 16, with the hosts expected to enjoy both home support and familiarity with the high-altitude conditions.
