Though the stadium has been refurbished several times and its capacity reduced to 87,500, the steep stands, the tight proximity of the terraces to the pitch, and the underground tunnels remain — and they remain central to what makes the atmosphere so overwhelming.

Jason de Vos, who played and coached against Mexico at the venue with the Canadian national team, described the sensory assault players face on arrival: the team bus descending a ramp beneath the stadium, a narrow tunnel filled with a low, vibrating buzz — and then the sudden eruption of noise as players climb the staircase and emerge into the light.