| Player | Position | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Oswaldo Sanchez | Goalkeeper | Guadalajara |
| Guillermo Ochoa | Goalkeeper | America |
| Jesus Corona | Goalkeeper | UAG/Tecos |
| Jose Antonio Castro | Defender | America |
| Rafael Marquez | Defender | FC Barcelona (Spain) |
| Mario Mendez | Defender | Monterrey |
| Ricardo Osorio | Defender | Cruz Azul |
| Francisco Rodriguez | Defender | Guadalajara |
| Carlos Salcido | Defender | Guadalajara |
| Claudio Suarez | Defender | Chivas USA (United States) |
| Andres Guardado | Defender | Atlas |
| Gonzalo Pineda | Defender | Guadalajara |
| Luis Perez | Midfielder | Monterrey |
| Pavel Pardo | Midfielder | America |
| Antonio Naelson | Midfielder | Toluca |
| Rafael Garcia | Midfielder | Atlas |
| Gerardo Torrado | Midfielder | Cruz Azul |
| Ramon Morales | Midfielder | Guadalajara |
| Jared Borgetti | Forward | Bolton Wanderers (England) |
| Guillermo Franco | Forward | Villarreal (Spain) |
| Francisco Fonseca | Forward | Cruz Azul |
| Omar Bravo | Forward | Guadalajara |
| Jesus Arellano | Forward | Monterrey |
| Head Coach: | Ricardo La Volpe | |
Scouting Report
Style of play: Coach Ricardo La Volpe uses an attacking 3-5-2 formation, but is not afraid to switch to a more traditional 4-4-2 or 4-3-3- lineup. He can get away with this because many of his players can play more than one position (the shining example being Rafael Marquez who is a natural defender but can also slot in as a midfielder). Mexico goes with three defenders at the back with the two wingbacks (Carlos Salcido on the left and Ricardo Osorio on the right) and often pushing forward down the flanks to help bolster the attack. Sitting in front of the back three are two central midfielders (Pavel Pardo and Gerardo Torrado) who act as the first line of defence. In front of them are the attacking midfielders and playmakers (Luis Perez, Antonio Naelson and Jesus Arellano) who play in a triangle formation and try to get the ball up to the two strikers, Jared Borgetti and Omar Bravo.
Probable starting formation (3-5-2): (GK) Oswaldo Sanchez - (D) Carlos Salcido, Rafael Marquez, Ricardo Osorio - (M) Luis Perez, Antonio Naelson, Jesus Arellano, Gerardo Torrado, Pavel Pardo - (F) Jared Borgetti, Omar Bravo.
Strengths:
Scoring - This shouldn't be a problem fo r Mexico, as they have a number
of dangerous players who can put the ball into the back of the net. Experienced
forward Jared Borgetti scored a whopping 14 goals in qualifying (tops in the
CONCACAF region), while youngster Francisco Fonseca scored 10.
Overall depth - For the first time in ages, Mexico has a number of
talented players at every position on the field and no longer has to rely
on a small core of players to carry the team. Coach Ricardo La Volpe has widened
the talent pool since taking charge in 2002, giving a chance to an exciting
crop of youngsters who play in the Mexican first division.
Confidence - Mexico has a definite air of confidence. They recently
reeled off a 20-game unbeaten streak (including a 1-0 victory over Brazil
at the 2005 Confederations Cup), were one of eight teams to be seeded by FIFA
for the World Cup draw last December, and currently sit No. 4 in the world
rankings ahead of France, England, Italy and Portugal.
Weaknesses:
Genuine stars - Aside from Jared Borgetti and defender Rafael Marquez,
Mexico doesn't have a single player you could classify as world class. Hard
working as they may be, the Mexicans simply fall short of quality players
when compared to the top teams from Europe and South America. This lack of
quality will hurt them in the knockout stages of the tournament.
Dissension in the ranks - Coach La Volpe's decision to draft in two
naturalized Mexicans - Brazilian midfielder Antonio Naelson and Argentine
striker Guillermo Franco - has been criticized by the Mexican media and former
national team members. Even some current players don't like the idea, causing
a fair bit of tension in the Mexican camp.
Track record - Mexico has qualified for 12 World Cups but has only
managed to progress as far as the quarter-finals (both times when it hosted
the tournament). Like Spain, Mexico chronically underachieves on soccer's
greatest stage and usually manages to lose games it should win.
Players to watch:
Jared Borgetti - The classic goal poacher. Borgetti is Mexico's all-time
leading scorer with 37 goals and is his team's main scoring threat (he bagged
14 goals in qualifying). Not quick, but he has a knack for being in scoring
position at the right time. A real penalty-area vulture and one of only three
members of the national team who plays in Europe during the regular season.
Rafael Marquez - This experienced central defender is one of Mexico's
most important players. A regular starter for Spanish champions FC Barcelona,
Marquez is the linchpin of the Mexican defence, holding things together with
his intelligence and positioning. He can also play in midfield as a defensive
stopper.
Oswaldo Sanchez - A solid and reliable goalkeeper with lots of experience.
Sanchez is a fan favourite with Guadalajara, one of Mexico's biggest clubs,
winning praise for his expert shot-stopping ability. Named tournament MVP
when Mexico won the 2003 Gold Cup, Sanchez served as backup at the last two
World Cups and is hungry to prove himself in Germany.
Key injuries/omissions: Coach La Volpe decided to leave talented - but volatile - forward Cuauhtemoc Blanco at home, believing his poor attitude would unhinge the team. Blanco is a creative player but has publicly criticized La Volpe in the past. Defender Claudio Suarez, 37, and veteran midfielder Jesus Arellano were surprise inclusions. Midfielder Jaime Lozano, defender Joel Huiqui and defensive midfielder Israel Lopez were left out. The omission of Lozano is peculiar when you consider he scored 11 goals in the World Cup qualifiers.
Prognosis: Mexico will take its usual place at the World Cup dinner table in Germany, but whether or not it will be around when the main course is served is another matter entirely. Set to play in its fourth straight World Cup and 13th overall, Mexico are perennial underachievers, routinely crashing out in the first and second round of the tournament - all Mexico has to show for itself are two quarter-final appearances (1970 and 1986) on home soil. The draw has been kind to the Mexicans - World Cup first-timers Angola and Iran pose little threat - and they'll finish behind Portugal in Group D to advance to the next round. Will they do anything after that? Not likely. Mexico is simply not in the same class as the big boys from Europe and South America and will likely bow out, as they usually do, in the second round.
Road to the World Cup
Current FIFA Ranking: #4
1st round matches:
June 11 vs. Iran in Nuremburg
June 16 vs. Angola in Hanover
June 21 vs. Portugal in Gelsenkirchen
2006 qualification route: Mexico beat Dominica in a two-game playoff
in the first round of CONCACAF qualifying. It finished in first place (18
points) in Group 3 during the second stage ahead of Trinidad and Tobago (12
points). It finished in second place (22 points) in the final stage behind
the U.S. (22 points)
Qualifying record: 18 games played, 15 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses
Goals for: 67 Goals against: 10
Top goal-scorer in qualifying: Jared Borgetti (14)
Qualifying results: (home team listed first)
June 19, 2004 - Dominica 0, Mexico 10
June 27, 2004 - Mexico 8, Dominica 0
Sept. 8, 2004 - Trinidad and Tobago 1, Mexico 3
Oct. 6, 2004 - Mexico 7, St. Vincent / Grenadines 0
Oct. 10, 2004 - St. Vincent / Grenadines 0, Mexico 1
Oct. 13, 2004 - Mexico 3, Trinidad and Tobago 0
Nov. 13, 2004 - St. Kitts and Nevis 0, Mexico 5
Nov. 17, 2004 - Mexico 8, St. Kitts and Nevis 0
Feb. 9, 2005 - Costa Rica 1, Mexico 2
March 27, 2005 - Mexico 2, U.S. 1
March 30, 2005 - Panama 1, Mexico 1
June 4, 2005 - Guatemala 0, Mexico 2
June 8, 2005 - Mexico 2, Trinidad and Tobago 0
Aug. 17, 2005 - Mexico 2, Costa Rica 0
Sept. 3, 2005 - U.S. 2, Mexico 0
Sept. 7, 2005 - Mexico 5, Panama 0
Oct. 8, 2005 - Mexico 5, Guatemala 2
June 12, 2005 - Trinidad and Tobago 2, Mexico 1
World Cup History
FIFA member since: 1929
Team nickname: Los Tricolores, El Tri
All-time caps leader: Claudio Suarez (174)
All-time leading scorer: Jared Borgetti (37 goals)
Number of Previous World Cup Appearances: 12
All-time record: 41 games played, 10 wins, 11 draws, 20 losses
Goals for: 43 Goals against: 79
World Cup History:
1930 - First round
1934 - Did not qualify
1938 - Did not enter
1950 to 1966 - First round
1970 - Quarter-finals
1974 - Did not qualify
1978 - First round
1982 - Did not qualify
1986 - Quarter-finals
1990 - Did not enter
1994 to 2002 - Second Round
Biggest victory: 4-0 vs. El Salvador in 1970
Biggest defeat: 6-0 vs. West Germany in 1978
Overall top scorer: Luis Hernandez (4 goals)
Most appearances: Antonio Carbajal (11 matches)
Hosted the World Cup: 1970, 1986
Past Achievements:
Gold Cup Champions: 1993, 1996, 1998, 2003
Confederations Cup Champions: 1999
Under-17 World Champions: 2005
Greatest Players:
Hugo Sanchez: Sanchez was a star with Spanish club Real Madrid during
the 1980s. Renowned for his celebratory somersault after scoring a goal, Sanchez
is one of the top goal scorers in the history of the Spanish league. He helped
Real win five consecutive league titles from 1986-90, finished as the leading
scorer in La Liga for four consecutive seasons and scored 207 goals in 283
games.
Antonio Carbajal: A legendary Mexican goalkeeper who is only one of two players to appear in five World Cups (1950-66). Played in 48 games for Mexico during his career.