Mexico national football team
| Shirt badge/Association crest | |||
| Nickname(s) | El Tri (El Tricolor) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación | ||
| Confederation | CONCACAF (North America) | ||
| Head coach |  Hugo Sánchez Márquez | ||
| Captain | Rafael Márquez | ||
| Most caps | Claudio Suárez (178) | ||
| Top scorer | Jared Borgetti (40) | ||
| Home stadium | Estadio Azteca | ||
| FIFA code | MEX | ||
| |||
| FIFA ranking | |||
| Current | 21 | ||
| Highest | 4 (May 2006) | ||
| Lowest | 21 (January 2007) | ||
| First international | |||
 Guatemala 2-3 Mexico (Guatemala City, Guatemala; 1 January, 1923) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
Mexico 13-0 Bahamas  (Toluca, Mexico; April 28 1987) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
 England 8-0 Mexico  (London, England; May 10 1961) | |||
| World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 13 (first in 1930) | ||
| Best result | Quarterfinals, 1970 and 1986 | ||
| CONCACAF Gold Cup | |||
| Appearances | 8 (first in 1991) | ||
| Best result | Winners, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2003 | ||
| FIFA Confederations Cup | |||
| Appearances | 5 (first in 1995) | ||
| Best result | Winners, 1999 | ||
The Mexico national football team – El Tri – is the national football team of Mexico, and is controlled by the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FEMEXFUT).
Since the 1990s, Mexico has been one of the most consistent nations in the world, having qualified for four consecutive World Cups, and reaching the second round on all four occasions. They have also had strong showings in the Copa America ever since their first invitation from the CONMEBOL in 1993 (although they are under the jurisdiction of CONCACAF).
History
Beginnings (1930-1970)
Mexico participated in the first World Cup in 1930 – losing all of its matches and finishing at the bottom of its group – Unfortunately Mexico did not appear again in the tournament until the 1950 FIFA World Cup where they did not make it to the first round. It was in the 1970's where Mexico qualified for six consecutive World Cups, including the hosting of the 1970 and 1986 FIFA World Cup|1986 tournament. Mexico has been on of the first countries to have host 2 Fifa World Cups.
Before 1970, Mexico struggled to make much impact in the World Cup when compared to European and South American teams and won only once in five tournaments (in 1962, a 3–1 win over Czechoslovakia). Goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal had the distinction of being the first player ever to appear in five consecutive World Cups.
(1970-1990)
In 1970, Mexico was able to make a breakthrough. Hosts for the tournament, they kicked off with a scoreless draw against the Soviet Union, followed by wins over El Salvador (4–0) and Belgium (1–0). Against Italy in the quarter-finals, Mexico took the lead before losing 4–1.
Mexico also hosted the 1986 FIFA World Cup after Colombia withdrew as host. Mexico in the 1986 World Cup, made a great impact playing well and thinking Mexico could go far in the tournament. Unfortunately, they exited in the Quartefinals.
Mexico was disqualified from the 1990 qualifiers due to fielding an overage player in the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying youth tournament in Guatemala for the 1988 Summer Olympics, but have since qualified for four consecutive World Cups and passing to the Round of 16 in all 4 occasions.
Recent years
In the 1990s, Mexican football began experiencing more consistent international success. An important turning point was its participation in the 1993 Copa America, where they finished second in the tournament, losing to Argentina 2–1 in the final. Mexico went on to win its group (on tiebreakers) in the 1994 World Cup, emerging from the tournament's "Group of death", composed of Mexico, Italy, Ireland, and Norway. Although Mexico eventually lost in the second round to Bulgaria, this performance began a string of successful showings at football's premier event, as the team also moved on to the second round in 1998, 2002, and 2006.
Since their second place finish in the 1993 Copa America, Mexico has been a regular participant in the South American tournament and has fared well. It earned third place in 1997 and 1999 and another second-place finish in 2001. Mexico has never failed to reach the quarter finals of the Copa America and twice has had the leading scorer in the tournament (Luis Garcia in 1995 (sharing the title with Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta) and Luis Hernández in 1997).
Mexico hosted and won the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup. Mexico won its first official FIFA tournament trophy by beating Brazil with a final score of 4–3. Mexico's star, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, shared the tournament's Golden Shoe award as top scorer with Ronaldinho.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the United States proved a credible challenger to Mexico's dominance on the continental football scene, winning the 2002 Gold Cup and eliminating Mexico in the second round of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Mexico again hosted the Gold Cup in 2003. Mexico's under-23 national team exacted a measure of revenge on the United States by eliminating them during their qualification run to the 2004 Summer Olympics. In the 2005 Gold Cup tournament, however, Mexico were eliminated by Colombia.
The parallel emergence of the United States and Mexico on the international stage has helped elevate the status of the CONCACAF region, and has provided a natural rivalry that has benefited the development of both national teams. The United States and Mexico regularly play friendly matches in the United States. The U.S. has won more of the games played in the U.S., while Mexico remains unbeaten in Estadio Azteca.
The growth experienced by the Mexican national team since the early 1990s was matched by the increased competitiveness of its domestic league, the Primera División de México. Due in large part to lucrative television contracts, Mexican football clubs are amongst the richest outside of Europe. The influx of high level foreign players, together with increased participation in international tournaments has helped compensate for the fact that, traditionally, relatively few Mexican players have sought opportunities in other countries.
Among those that have had successful careers in European leagues are Hugo Sánchez (Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid), Luis Garcia (Atlético Madrid and Real Sociedad), and Rafael Márquez (AS Monaco and FC Barcelona).
2002 World Cup
Mexico opened play in the 2002 World Cup with a 1–0 win over Croatia, with Cuauhtémoc Blanco scoring a penalty kick. In the second match, Mexico earned a 2–1 win over Ecuador with goals from Jared Borgetti and Gerardo Torrado. Against Italy, Mexico played to a 1–1 draw with Italy, thanks to a goal from Borgetti that was regarded as one of the best of the tournament. In the second round, Mexico played continental rivals the United States, and the U.S. beat Mexico 2–0. Captain Rafael Marquez was sent off late in the game for a head butt.
2006 World Cup
Mexico played a series of friendlies in preparation for the World Cup in the United States of America, seeking to maximize revenue by appealing to Mexican Americans living in the USA.
Controversially, Mexico was one of eight seeded teams in the first round at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. This was the first time a non-hosting CONCACAF nation was seeded. Mexico was put in Group D with Iran, Angola and Portugal.
Mexico won their opening match 3–1 against Iran, with two goals from Omar Bravo and one by Zinha. In their second match, Mexico played to a 0–0 draw against Angola. Mexico joined Portugal as a qualifier in the Round of 16, despite losing to the Portuguese 2–1. During the match, Bravo missed a penalty shot.
In the second round, Mexico played against Argentina. The Mexicans scored in the 5th minute with a goal by captain Rafael Márquez. Four minutes later, an own-goal by an injured Jared Borgetti allowed Argentina to equalize. The score remained 1–1 after ninety minutes, and in extra time, an exceptional volley by Maxi Rodríguez in the second period of extra time brought about a 2–1 win for Argentina.
Argentine-born coach Ricardo Lavolpe stepped down as coach after the tournament, and was succeeded by Hugo Sánchez.
Current Squad
The following squad was chosen to play in friendly matches against Paraguay on March 25, 2007 , and Ecuador on March 28, 2007.
Recent call-ups
The following players have all recently been called up to the Mexican squad. Bracket shows last call-up time.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Oswaldo Sanchez | 21 September 1973 | 80 | 0 | Santos Laguna
| |
| DF | Carlos Salcido | 2 April 1980 | 37 | 2 |  PSV
| |
| MF | Pavel Pardo | 26 July 1976 | 133 | 5 |  Stuttgart
| |
| MF | Manuel Pérez | 22 January 1980 | 1 | 0 | Atlas
| |
| MF | Juan Carlos Medina | 22 August 1983 | 2 | 0 | Atlas
| |
| FW | Juan Carlos Cacho | 3 May 1982 | 4 | 0 | Pachuca
| |
| FW | Cuauhtémoc Blanco | 17 January 1973 | 88 | 31 | América
| |
| MF | Carlos Adrian Morales
|
6 September 1979 | - | - | Toluca
| |
| FW | Nery Castillo | 13 July 1984 | 0 | 0 |  Olympiakos
|
International Competition Records
FIFA World Cup
- 1930 - Round 1
- 1934 - Did not qualify
- 1938 - Withdrew
- 1950 - Round 1
- 1954 - Round 1
- 1958 - Round 1
- 1962 - Round 1
- 1966 - Round 1
- 1970 - Quarterfinals
- 1974 - Did not qualify
- 1978 - Round 1
- 1982 - Did not qualify
- 1986 - Quarterfinals
- 1990 - Disqualified
- 1994 - Round 2
- 1998 - Round 2
- 2002 - Round 2
- 2006 - Round 2
FIFA U-20 World Cup
- 1977 - Second place
- 1997 - Round 2
- 1999 - Quarterfinals
- 2001 - Did not qualify
- 2003 - Round 1
- 2005 - Did not qualify
FIFA U-17 World Cup
- 1985 - Disqualified
- 1987 - Round 1
- 1989 - Round 1
- 1991 - Round 1
- 1993 - Round 1
- 1995 - Did not qualify
- 1997 - Round 1
- 1999 - Quarterfinals
- 2001 - Did not qualify
- 2003 - Quarterfinals
- 2005 - Champions
CONCACAF Gold Cup
- 1991 - Third place
- 1993 - Champions
- 1996 - Champions
- 1998 - Champions
- 2000 - Quarterfinals
- 2002 - Quarterfinals
- 2003 - Champions
- 2005 - Quarterfinals
- 2007 -
CONMEBOL Copa América
- 1993 - Second place
- 1995 - Quarterfinals
- 1997 - Third place
- 1999 - Third place
- 2001 - Second place
- 2004 - Quarterfinals
- 2007 -
Pan American Games
- 1951 - Did not compete
- 1955 - Runners-up
- 1959 - Sixth place
- 1963 - Did not compete
- 1967 - Winners
- 1971 - Round 1
- 1975 - Winners
- 1979 - Did not compete
- 1983 - Round 1
- 1987 - Fourth place
- 1991 - Runners-up
- 1995 - Runners-up
- 1999 - Winners
- 2003 - Third place
FIFA Confederations Cup
- 1992 - Did not qualify
- 1995 - Third place
- 1997 - Round 1
- 1999 - Champions
- 2001 - Round 1
- 2003 - Did not qualify
- 2005 - Fourth place
List of Goalscorers in World Cups
| Player | Goals | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Juan Carreño | 1 | 1930 |
| Manuel Rozas | 2 | 1930 |
| Roberto Gayón | 1 | 1930 |
| Héctor Ortíz | 1 | 1950 |
| Horacio Casarín | 1 | 1950 |
| José Lamadrid | 1 | 1954 |
| Tomás Balcázar | 1 | 1954 |
| Jaime Belmonte | 1 | 1958 |
| Isidoro Díaz | 1 | 1962 |
| Alfredo del Águila | 1 | 1962 |
| Héctor Hernández | 1 | 1962 |
| Enrique Borja | 1 | 1966 |
| Javier Valdivia | 2 | 1970 |
| Javier Fragoso | 1 | 1970 |
| Ignacio Basaguren | 1 | 1970 |
| Gustavo Peña | 1 | 1970 |
| José González | 1 | 1970 |
| Arturo Vázquez | 1 | 1978 |
| Víctor Rangel | 1 | 1978 |
| Fernando Quirarte | 2 | 1986 |
| Hugo Sánchez | 1 | 1986 |
| Luis Flores | 1 | 1986 |
| Manuel Negrete | 1 | 1986 |
| Raúl Servín | 1 | 1986 |
| Luis García | 2 | 1994 |
| Marcelino Bernal | 1 | 1994 |
| Alberto García Aspe | 2 | 1994-1998 |
| Luis Hernández | 4 | 1998 |
| Ricardo Peláez | 2 | 1998 |
| Cuauhtémoc Blanco | 2 | 1998-2002 |
| Jared Borgetti | 2 | 2002 |
| Gerardo Torrado | 1 | 2002 |
| Omar Bravo | 2 | 2006 |
| Zinha | 1 | 2006 |
| Francisco Fonseca | 1 | 2006 |
| Rafael Márquez | 1 | 2006 |
Notable players
List of Coaches
Hugo Sanchez Marquez Era
Recent Results
- Friendly: Phoenix, Arizona, February 7, 2007, Mexico vs USA: 0-2 (USA: Conrad 57, Donovan 90)
- Friendly: San Diego, California, February 28, 2007, Mexico vs Venezuela: 3-1 (Mexico: Guardado 23, Arce 38, Blanco 48 (pen);Venezuela: Arizmendi 86)
- Friendly: Monterrey, Nuevo León, March 25, 2007, Mexico vs Paraguay: 2-1 (Mexico:Borgetti 78, 82: Paraguay: Roque Santa Cruz 88)
- Friendly: Oakland, California, March 28, 2007, Mexico vs Ecuador: 4-2 (Mexico:Palencia 1, Marquez 73, Bravo 84, Bofo 87:Ecuador:Tenorio '44, Espionza 55')
Forthcoming matches
Friendly
Mexico, DF, May 20, 2007, Mexico vs Argentina:
Mexico vs Cuba: East Rutherford, New Jersey, June 8, 2007 (2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup)
Mexico vs Honduras: East Rutherford, New Jersey, June 10, 2007 (2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup)
Mexico vs Panama: Houston, Texas, June 13, 2007 (2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup)
Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Final - June 16-24, 2007
Mexico vs Brazil: Puerto Ordaz, Bolívar, June 27, 2007 (Copa América 2007)
Mexico vs Ecuador: Maturín, Monagas, July 1, 2007 (Copa América 2007)
Mexico vs Chile: Puerto la Cruz, Anzoátegui, July 4, 2007 (Copa América 2007)
Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Final - July 7-July 15, 2007
External links
International association football | ||
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| Africa |  | |
| Asia | ||
| Europe |
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| North & Central America and the Caribbean | ||
| Oceania | ||
| South America |
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| Non-FIFA | ||
| Games |
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2006 FIFA World Cup finalists | |
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| Champions | |
| Runners-up | |
| Third place | |
| Fourth place | |
| Quarter-finals | |
| Round of 16 | |
| Group stage | |
