The report says Rimmer followed the quesadilla with a lamb Greek salad served kebab-style and a banoffee pavlova. The opening dish drew a challenge from co-host Tim Lovejoy, who questioned the wisdom of serving Mexican food so close to England’s game.
That exchange landed because football regularly turns harmless details into rituals. A shirt, a meal or a television appearance can become a convenient explanation for defeat, even though none can influence a team’s passing, defending or finishing.
“It is my fault,” Rimmer reportedly told viewers while imagining an England loss - a deliberately exaggerated line rather than a serious prediction.
The report says kickoff is scheduled for 1am BST on Monday at Estadio Azteca, with adverse weather prompting speculation about possible changes. Those are the practical issues England must manage; the quesadilla is simply the memorable pre-match hook.
The same update says Marcus Rashford described the conditions as a small adjustment rather than a reason to alter England’s outlook. That framing is closer to the competitive reality: preparation and adaptation matter, while superstition supplies the noise around the fixture.
Rimmer’s joke will have a different afterlife depending on the result. An England win turns the quesadilla into a harmless punchline; a defeat could make it a lasting piece of tournament folklore. The next storyline arrives at kickoff, when England and Mexico - not the menu - decide whether the joke survives.