England midfielder Jordan Henderson has rejected reports that the England team were using Viagra to deal with high-altitude conditions in Mexico City ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 round-of-16 match against Mexico at Estadio Azteca.The rumors emerged after reports suggested the drug could be used to help players cope with high-altitude conditions. Viagra is not banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), leading to speculation that some teams could consider it as an aid.England manager Thomas Tuchel was first asked about the reports during his pre-match press conference and quickly dismissed them.“The information to support it has not reached me, so it is not true,” Tuchel told reporters.Henderson then responded in a light-hearted way before making it clear he was joking.“Well, the Viagra helped, I think… just kidding! It was a joke,” Henderson joked.Away from the exchange, Henderson admitted that the England players had noticed the effect of playing at high altitude since they arrived in Mexico City.“You can feel a little, you can feel something. I felt it a little, even when you are right and you arrive at the hotel and you are just walking, 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 the training went, I stopped thinking about it so much and said just concentrate on training.”England were bracing for the conditions ahead of their clash against Mexico, with the Estadio Azteca situated at 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 benefit from home support and familiarity with high-altitude conditions.
