Mexico World Cup 2022: Players, fixtures, group

During the qualifying rounds, Mexico accrued 28 points in 14 games, and since El Tri knows it’s not really in the frame for the trophy, realistically the objective is to reach the quarterfinals. The Round of 16 is the farthest Mexico has gone in recent World Cup tournaments, and they know that in this edition it won’t be easy either. The team is drawn in Group C, meaning it will have to play one of the strongest teams in the competition: Argentina. Yet manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino, an Argentinian himself, may be able to bring a few tricks to the table, having managed Messi and the national team from 2014-16.

Final 26-man Mexico World Cup 2022 roster

Star players in the Mexico World Cup team

Even though star striker Raúl Jiménez is recovering from an injury, he is finally playing in the World Cup. Mexico will need his physical presence and international experience, despite the fact that he’s failed to score from open play since 2019. Gerardo “Tata” Martino, the Argentinian-born Mexico coach, may yet get the best out of him on the world’s biggest stage. Hirving Lozano, nicknamed “Chucky”, is currently playing for Napoli in Italy and is fondly remembered and celebrated for scoring against Germany in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Who is Mexico’s head coach?

Gerardo “Tata” Martino is an Argentinean ex-football player who, in 2002, started coaching different teams in Argentina, Paraguay, Spain, and the U.S. He has previously been the national team coach of Paraguay and Argentina. He’s been the coach of the Mexico national team since 2018 and led the Mexicans to win the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2019.

Mexico World Cup 2022 fixtures and match schedule

Mexico vs. Poland

Mexico will face Poland in their first match in the World Cup in Qatar 2022. The biggest threat: Robert Lewandowski. The Polish player has been recognized as the best forward of 2022. However, the Poland national team struggled to make it to Qatar 2022 and Mexico sees this match as an opportunity to make it to the next round. Will Hirving Lozano prove to be more lethal than Lewandowski in the opening match?

Argentina vs. Mexico

Argentina is one of the tournament favorites and will be aiming to get to the World Cup final. It’s a lifelong rival of Mexico: they eliminated the Mexican team at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. While Mexico still has a strong shot to progress to the next round, Argentina will likely top Group C. However, we know that everything is possible in a World Cup, and every underdog can have its day.

Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico

Saudi Arabia is probably the weakest team Mexico will play in Group C, sitting 51st in the FIFA ranking. The Saudi team was a big surprise in the third round of qualification, and now they’re here, they have great expectations for this World Cup. However, they know Group C is tough, and the pressure is high. Will Mexico break the curse and make it to the next round?

Mexico national team strengths & weaknesses

The Mexico national team assembled by Tata Martino has a strong blend of promising young talents and veteran experience, with players that have international experience and many others who have never played in a World Cup. Some choices of the coach were expected, while others—like the absence of Santiago Giménez or Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa—came as a surprise that hasn’t gone down well with fans back home.

Strengths

The Mexican team has a selection of great players beyond winger Hirving Lozano and striker Raúl Jiménez. Many of Mexico’s top picks play in some of the strongest leagues in Europe: Erick Gutiérrez (PSV Eindhoven), Edson Álvarez (Ajax), and Néstor Araujo (Celta de Vigo). Cesar Montes (Monterrey) plays in the Mexican National League and is one of the players that can really shine at this World Cup. Even though qualifying from Group C will not be easy, rivals like Saudi Arabia and even Poland are definitely beatable for this talented Mexico lineup. Mexico may prove to be one of the surprises of the World Cup and only get stronger if they progress deeper into the knockout rounds—provided it gets its rhythm going early.

Weaknesses

A recent defeat in the CONCACAF Nations League in 2021 together with the absence of Jesús “Tecatito” Corona due to injury may affect the morale of the fans and players. Manager “Tata” Martino has been criticized for the team’s run of bad results in friendlies leading up to the World Cup, creating ongoing friction between the coach and the fans. The goal for Mexico remains the quarterfinals, but it may be a tall order. The fact that Argentina and Poland are their rivals in Group C is also a big challenge for this team that, despite all their passion and effort, may lack the strength and experience needed to go deep in the competition.

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