Mexico 26 World Cup Preview

Mexico is setting a record this summer as the first nation to host the Men's World Cup 3 times. That fact showcases how rich they are to the history of the game; despite being of such importance, they aren't among the only 8 teams to actually lift the trophy. They have yet to even reach the final. On paper, they should be in the small tier of storied nations that seek that first title of men's champions alongside Netherlands & Portugal. At the Big Dance, however, they have only reached the quarterfinals twice - both of the last times they hosted. A repeat of such would be a big success!

The first half of this decade was defined by Mexico losing their decades-long grip on CONCACAF in men's soccer - not to mention a rare World Cup Grouping in 2022. Last year, however, they won both continental trophies putting them in a better place than they've been since 2019.

Aguirre has Mexico committed to a Back 4, primarily with a 4-1-4-1 but not shy to the occasional 4-4-2 if Santi Gimenez is healthy. Their stature as CONCACAF kings has them used to dictating games, but they stand out as one of the most physical teams in the world when it comes to 50-50s.

For me, this team starts with the incredible centerback pairing of Johan Vasquez & Cesar Montes that Aguirre has kept established. The past 2 years they have looked like one of the best partnerships on the entire planet & it keeps the team's floor unbelievably high. Even in the Copa America where we saw Mexico crash out in the group stage, they only conceded 1 goal in their 3 group stage matches. The defending has never been the problem for Mexico lately & it's something that has gone criminally underrated for a while now, so I will beat this like a drum.

In front of them, preferably, is Edson Alvarez who expects to return from injury by kickoff. The 2025 Gold Cup was the best he's ever looked in El Tri, doing all the things an anchory 6 needs to do: be wise with positioning & be clean on the ball. Edson starts most of Mexico's most productive attacks from deep. When he's in midfield, he drops to form a Back 3 in possession; if they are playing a team notorious for sitting in their own box, Aguirre may even play Edson AS 1 of the 2 centerbacks to hopefully draw the opponent forward.

Alvarez is debatably the most important player to this team as proven by their most recent Gold Cup glory & it is crucial that he is ready to go come June. We should all be hoping for that as fans of anybody because the guy is just class.

The other challenger to their title of Most Important Guy is Raul, a career long target forward who has had to become a whole lot more for this El Tri team. He's become a Complete Striker who drops into the midfield to combine just as much as he plays the role of Big Man, especially in the 4-1-4-1. Just watch how deep he comes from in this clip:

Raul is definitely the player that feels the most pressure. That Copa America, like many of their other failings of the past decade, was a product of their lack of goalscoring & my goodness are most of the hopes hanging on him.

Mexico have good supplementary attackers & a midfield core that can ping the ball around, but nobody outside of the 9 position really threatens as a goalscorer unless Orbelin Pineda has one of his box-crashing streaks. The expectation on Santi is surely lowered via injury, so everyone looks to Raul.

I think it has to be the injuries. First name I have to say is Marcel Ruiz, who would have his own detailed blurb above if he didn't tear his ACL. Fans fell in love with teenage Gilberto Mora in the Gold Cup while somehow not seeing how damn great Marcel is as a dictating 8. Marcel is a HUGE part of their 2025 return to dominance. Luis Malagon was their first goalkeeper to look confident in the gloves post-Ochoa when he sustained an injury ruling him out too.

Edson & Santi, among their most talented players, missed most of their club seasons & will likely enter rusty.

They're a host nation & should be a lot better than the last couple of men's hosts. Their record on home soil & especially in the Azteca is unreal - it's exciting to see them host something since CONCACAF puts every fucking tournament in the States. There's a philosophy out there that Mexico's host status is almost a net negative, emphasizing the pressure that already suffocates this team any day of the year. It isn't that I don't buy that possibility, but rather I feel confident that the positives will clearly outweigh the pressure.

The other big thing that I like about them is the fact that they are so damn physical with a history of dictating games too. It's a combination I love to see where the team is ready to be the favorite while also having a foundation to play the David vs. Goliath. Perfect for where they sit.

Last notes from Mr. Brightside: they're great at attacking set pieces & Aguirre has managed 2 World Cups with this team already - earlier editions in 2002 & 2010 with classic Round of 16 finishes.

There's a lot going for this side if you ask me.

I'm pretty high on them with a strong influence of Home advantage. An intriguing narrative to watch is the whole Liga MX club strategy, which has been WIDELY criticized for paying their internationals money that Europe won't compete with to keep them at domestic clubs. That majority of fans critical of this strategy are foaming at the mouth for a poor World Cup from Mexico. And if such happens, you have to imagine how upset the El Tri fanbase is going to be at these clubs.

If they do well, though? What a victory lap that would be for the league.

Hot take, I like what Liga MX clubs are doing. I think it rocks that players are earning a lot of money & getting to play at home if they wish. They don't have to, but I probably would do the same in their shoes. As the biggest endorser of talent globalization, I cannot do anything but admire it. It's something I would take from US clubs in an instant.

In no nation should clubs have any sort of obligation to their national teams. It's a dumb concept that funnels talent to one continent.

Personally, I think Mexico return to a Round of 16 finish. Chalk has them playing England in Azteca there & as much as I would LOVE that upset, it's hard for me to buy. A rough bracket draw, honestly, as there are only like 4 teams I wouldn't pick El Tri to upset there. That path would assume they win the group which I believe they do. Not a 9-pointer, but 5-7 sounds right.

But if you asked me what I believe in more: a Round of 32 exit or a quarterfinal appearance for El Tri?

I would go quarterfinals. It's the only place they have ever ended at home.