The hand of God and goal of the century, Gary Lineker’s famous first-half trick against Poland and lots of tequila, Mexico 86 has lived long in the memory for England’s travelling fans.

And a return to the iconic Estadio Azteca on Monday offers the Three Lions an opportunity to shed the ghosts of 40 years ago when England were so cruelly eliminated by Diego Maradona.

Despite the agonising defeat to the Argentine’s left hand the tournament is warmly remembered by those who made the 9,000km journey.

No water breaks, corporate takeovers or £5,000 tickets, some loved it so much they never returned home.

Ian Walker, a veteran journalist and editor, remembers it fondly - having covered the entire tournament for the Daily Mail.

He said: ‘I did a lot of great jobs in my reporting years but my friends tease me that Mexico 86 is the one I always tell them about.’

The World Cup came in the midst of a dark decade for English football hooliganism, with clubs banned from Europe following the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985. Riots took place at the Parc de Princes in Paris a year earlier.

With England facing Argentina, the countries at war over the Falklands four years earlier, there were fears of mass unrest.

Local press even published an open letter, jointly written by captains of the three British teams, England’s Bryan Robson, Scotland’s Graeme Souness and Northern Ireland’s Sammy McIlroy, urging fans to behave.

But Walker remembers an affectionate bond developing between England and Mexico supporters.

He said: ‘We really enjoyed our relations with the Mexicans. It was like the Scots in Boston at this World Cup. At a time when England’s reputation was rock bottom, they came out very well and were very well liked.

‘Mexicans enjoyed drinking like us and there wasn’t much aggression which can be very rare for a tournament involving England. It was a bit of a love in.

‘So many people went out for dates with Mexican girls and even ended up marrying them and bringing them home, including one of my colleagues.’

The tournament started slowly for England on the pitch with a defeat to Portugal in the opening game and a goalless draw to Morocco in Monterrey.

Walker said: ‘It was a similar start to this tournament and they were getting a lot of stick at home which we were putting to Bobby Robson.

‘There were no barriers back then so we could speak to him sitting by the pool in Monterrey. Bobby was a man who had immense charm but most of what he told us was rubbish.

‘He was so confident England would win the World Cup and we all believed him.’

Much has been made about the altitude of the Azteca with Thomas Tuchel’s side playing at 7,220ft above sea level. It was a predicament also faced by Robson’s men in 1986.

But that side faced Paraguay at the same stadium in their previous round and had been based at altitude for more than a week so they could adapt.

‘The FA were aware of the altitude and organised sessions which would help players they trained in Mexico and had already had a game before facing Argentina,’ Walker said.

And it wasn’t just the players who had difficulty adapting.

‘One of my colleagues who had asthma struggled and felt it badly walking any distance or climbing up the Azteca which had a lot of steps,’ he added.

‘You did notice it and became aware you were more breathless. It meant a slower game although Maradona appeared not to be affected by it.’

The quarter-final was won singlehandedly by the legendary forward. It was played in front of 114,000 fans and came against the backdrop of conflict.

And despite the generally pleasant behaviour of England’s travelling support, there were some skirmishes with the opposition.

‘The flashpoint was always going to be the Argentina game because of the Falklands War a few years earlier,’ Walker reflects.

‘They still viewed it as the Malvinas and there were many people from the Barras Bravas, Argentine ultras who mostly supported Boca Juniors and were very anti-English.

‘From England’s side there was some not very complimentary chanting about winning the war.

‘Argentine fans tore down St George’s flag which led to skirmishing and Mexican riot police were forced to intervene.

‘But they still managed to steal some England flags and some landed back in the Buenos Aires.

‘The skirmishes were nothing on Heysel or the various riots in previous years. There were fears of Mexican gangs but it ended quite peacefully.

The game itself became one of the most iconic in World Cup history. The first half was tense but Argentina took the lead in the 52nd minute with Maradona’s infamous hand of God.

Just three minutes he dribbled from the half way line to score what is known as the goal of the century.

Lineker grabbed one back and almost scored a late equaliser but it was Argentina who progressed.

Walker, his colleagues and more than 100,000 fans were initially uncertain how Maradona had scored. But he remembers confusion over how the diminutive 5ft5 forward outleapt the 6ft Peter Shilton.

‘Shilton was much taller and could use his hands. We couldn’t work out how the ball had gone in. We saw England’s defence complaining around the referee and thought it was because he was offside.

‘We saw they were gesturing on their hands but there were no TV screens to show us replays. A few people at one end of the press eventually said he handballed it and that’s how we first found out.

‘There was no booing from the England fans as they hadn’t realised.

‘His next goal, thinking about it now, is still unbelievable. Maradona was just phenomenal. Everyone around couldn't help but applaud, some in shock and in amazement.

‘I spoke to the referee afterwards who was from Tunisia. He said he maintained he thought it was fair and blamed his linesman.

‘When we walked out of the stadium it was a very odd atmosphere because people worked out it was a handball but then there was also the best World Cup goal ever scored.

‘There was a sense of disbelief from England fans. They were drinking tequila in margarita bars to down their sorrows.’

England will hope for better memories of the Azteca on Monday. And Walker is confident.

‘This is the third World Cup in Mexico,’ he said. ‘There is a lot of belief and confidence they can beat England and with the rise of the cartels and gang elements it will be a fiery welcome.

‘Everyone is saying there is the altitude and the home advantage but that brings pressure.’