2022 World Cup: Country profile – Mexico

Factfile on Mexico who are in World Cup Group C:

Best World Cup performance: Quarter finals in 1970 and 1986

Honours: Eight CONCACAF Gold Cups, 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup, 2012 Olympic gold medal

FIFA ranking: 13

Main clubs: America, Cruz Azul, Guadalajara, Pumas 

How they qualified: Finished second in the North, Central America and Caribbean region final qualifiers

Coach:  Gerardo Martino – The Argentinian, who turns 60 on the first day of the World Cup, was appointed in 2019 with the goal of leading the “Tri” to the quarter-finals for the first time in more than three decades. Martino led Atlanta United to the US Major League Soccer Cup title in 2018 and was named coach of the year. He has also managed Barcelona as well as the Argentine and Paraguayan national teams.

Key player: Guillermo Ochoa – The 37-year-old is the Mexican national team’s most capped goalkeeper and holds the record at his Club America for the most games without conceding a goal. Easily recognisable with his curly hair and headband, Ochoa spent three seasons with French side Ajaccio before being chosen as Mexico’s first-choice goalkeeper at the 2014 World Cup. He won plaudits that year for almost single-handedly holding mighty Brazil at bay to help his side earn a precious 0-0 draw.

Group fixtures

November 22: Mexico v Poland

November 26: Argentina v Mexico

November 30: Saudi Arabia v Mexico

Possible squad

Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (America), Alfredo Talavera (Juarez), Rodolfo Cota (Leon)

Defenders: Jorge Sanchez (Ajax/NED), Kevin Alvarez (Pachuca), Nestor Araujo (America), Cesar Montes (Monterrey), Hector Moreno (Monterrey), Johan Vasquez (Cremonese/ITA), Gerardo Arteaga (Genk/BEL), Jesus Gallardo (Monterrey)

Midfielders: Edson Alvarez (Ajax/NED), Luis Chavez (Pachuca), Carlos Rodriguez (Cruz Azul), Andres Guardado (Betis/ESP), Hector Herrera (Houston Dynamo/USA), Erick Gutierrez (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Orbelin Pineda (AEK Athens/GRE), Uriel Antuna (Cruz Azul), Diego Lainez (Sporting Braga/POR)

Forwards: Henry Martin (America), Raul Jimenez (Wolverhampton/ENG), Rogelio Funes Mori (Monterrey), Santiago Gimenez (Feyenoord/NED), Alexis Vega (Guadalajara), Hirving Lozano (Napoli/ITA)