Mexico (National Football)

The Mexican waves going around Santiago's Estadio Monumental during Brazil's 2-1 win over Venezuela on Sunday night were more impressive than the Mexico national team itself.

As the group stages concluded, the tournament's big guns, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, all find themselves in the quarter-finals. Mexico, meanwhile, were already back home.

Before the first phase of the Copa America had finished, manager Miguel Herrera and the director of national teams Hector Gonzalez Inarritu were already giving a press conference in Mexico City, explaining the failure at the tournament.

According to Goal, the coach admitted that his country failed at the tournament, having brought a shadow squad with one eye on the Gold Cup. He said:

You have to accept failure. We didn't understand the magnitude of how we played. We lacked energy and didn't get stuck in. They didn't do things well and it's a failure.

We didn't understand when we came into this tournament and we were late in getting started. We played a match where we understood [how to play] and the rest were just sparks. Today we have chances we didn't take advantage of. Without putting forth effort, it's tough to advance. We didn't understand how and in what way to play in this tournament.

That is a stark admission, because helping his team to "know how to play" is his job as a coach.

This is the first major failure for Herrera at a tournament, with his side unable to win a single game. A dismal 0-0 draw with Bolivia and 2-1 defeat by Ecuador was only barely redeemed by a thrilling 3-3 with hosts Chile.

Mexico were hurt by veteran Rafael Marquez's injury in the first game and subsequent absence, along with that of Adrian Aldrete against Ecuador, but their overall poor performance cannot be put down to this.

Obviously, not having their best players was a problem, with the likes of Carlos Vela, Javier Hernandez, Guillermo Ochoa and Co. held back for the upcoming Gold Cup.

But that just increases the pressure on Herrera's shoulders to win that tournament.

In a group with Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba, qualification in first position is the only real option for Herrera.

They are favourites for the tournament, along with the United States, but if Mexico are as unorganised as they were in Chile, prepare for an upset.

Herrera was sent off in the final group game, against Ecuador, frustrated by his team's inept display.

Failing to perform well in the Gold Cup could see him sidelined for good.

Mexico can take one positive from the tournament, with Jesus Corona playing well.

The 22-year-old, known as "Tecatito," looked confident on the ball, talented and always wanted to create something.

Herrera has also picked him in the Gold Cup squad, the only player who will be at both tournaments.

If Corona has used the Copa America as a platform to reach the next level and keep developing, maybe it wasn't a wasted endeavour after all.

The world expected this from Chilean stars Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez, but not from Mexico's Matias Vuoso.

Manchester City fans were left rubbing their eyes on Monday as the player who signed for them back in 2002 and left without playing a game struck twice in a 3-3 draw to puncture the hosts' dreams of sealing qualification with a game to spare.

Back in Mexico, he restored his career with Santos Laguna over two spells with the club, two more at America, one at Atlas and then a loan to Chiapas.

So while followers of Liga MX will have been aware of the forward's threat, many people who stopped tracking his progress will be surprised by his impact at Santiago's Estadio Nacional.

And even some Mexican football fans quizzed his inclusion at the age of 33.

But it was Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli left looking disgusted after the opening goal, as Mexico netted in the 21st minute.

It was the best move they had strung together in the tournament after a weak and ineffectual 0-0 draw with Bolivia in their first match.

After the team won the ball back in midfield, it was moved left to Jesus Manuel Corona. Although he stumbled as he took the ball forward, the No. 7 regained his balance and swung a lovely ball over to the right-hand side of the box.

Juan Carlos Medina collected it there, putting it back into the centre for Vuoso to pounce.

The striker looked delighted as he grabbed a goal on a rare start for his national side.

He's usually not part of Miguel Herrera's first-choice team, but given the strong squad being taken to the Gold Cup and the relative weakness of the Copa team, this is a good opportunity for him to say goodbye, as his career winds down.

Back struck Chile, with the aforementioned Vidal and Alexis at the heart of everything good about La Roja's play.

Although Jorge Valdivia wasn't as impressive as on the opening day, he too played an important role in helping them get back level—not once but twice.

Raul Jimenez had Mexico's best effort against Bolivia as a substitute and was rewarded with a start here.

He paid his manager back with an excellent header to send El Tri back ahead after Vidal's equaliser, only for Eduardo Vargas to level the score once more.

Juventus star Vidal scored Chile's 1000th goal in history to give his side the lead, but Vuoso popped up again to settle things at three goals each.

Adrian Aldrete’s quite wonderful ball, fired diagonally into Vuoso's path, gave the striker the chance to fire it beyond Claudio Bravo and into the net.

No player in La Liga managed to beat Bravo twice this season, with the Chilean goalkeeper in wonderful form, so this was an impressive feat.

Vuoso's double secured a point Mexico deserved, and they now have a good chance of progressing if they beat Ecuador in their final game.

Depending on other results, now even a draw may be enough for Mexico to progress to the quarter-finals.

He had a good look, but that's about as close as it got. Referee Enrique Caceres was on the scene but waved away Javier Aquino's appeal for a penalty.

Edward Zenteno barely made any contact with the Mexican, and he was already falling to the turf before the Bolivian defender tried to make his challenge.

Mexico had one other penalty appeal, too, when Javier Guemez had his legs swept from beneath him by Marcelo Moreno Martins. This was a foul, technically. If the referee had pointed to the spot, there could be no complaints by Bolivia, even though the ball had run out of the midfielder's control.

But even for a depleted Mexico, complaining about just one legitimate shout for a penalty against Bolivia is not a good situation to be in.

After all, their opponents have not won a game at the Copa America since 1997. Albeit not quite as weak as some think, Mauricio Soria's side still pose little threat to their Copa America Group A opponents.

That said, the closest either team came to breaking the deadlock on Friday night was when Martins struck the post with an effort in the first half.

It reflects badly on Mexico that the most entertaining moment of their opening Copa America display was the sight of their coach, Miguel Herrera, raging on the sidelines after Aquino's penalty claim was rightfully turned down.

Known as "The Bug," the coach is not a calm character, and he raised eyebrows with his arguably excessive celebrations at the World Cup.

Herrera had little to celebrate here. Atletico Madrid forward Raul Jimenez was sent on in the second half, and his header was inches wide of the far post.

The striker has plenty to prove both here with his national team and also back in the Spanish capital, as he tries to earn more game time under Diego Simeone.

Mexico's outstanding performer on the night, FC Twente's Jesus Corona Ruiz, had delivered a wonderful cross from the left that Jimenez met, but his nodded effort fell fractionally off target.

The forward's introduction gave some much-needed spark, although it was not sufficient for El Tri to get the win they craved.

Of course, Mexico are missing their finest players. Javier Hernandez and Guillermo Ochoa, among others, have been kept in reserve for the upcoming Gold Cup.

Former Manchester City attacker Matias Vuoso—not that he ever played for the club—had a shot blocked as his side tried to eke out a victory.

It leaves them in a tricky spot given their next game is against hosts Chile, who seem in the mood to go deep in this tournament.

Mexico have been invited to this tournament since 1993 as one of the guests, but despite various impressive performances since then, on this occasion it seems they really are only here to make up the numbers.

That is a sentiment that would rile some of the members of the squad, who see this as an opportunity to shine in front of the coach that they don't always get.

Jimenez will hope he did enough in his cameo to earn a start in the next game, although he will know that would just be the beginning of what he needs to deliver if Mexico are to progress to the latter phases of this tournament.

VINE - Mexico's Veronica Perez scores from ridiculous angle #MEX #FIFAWWC https://t.co/TlLlGgHRE4

— FanSided GIF (@FanSidedGIF) June 9, 2015

Was it a shot? Was it a cross? Does it matter? No.

Veronica Perez scored a wonderful goal from a difficult angle for Mexico to give her team a 1-0 lead over Colombia. 

It also marked a historical moment, as it was the first goal that was awarded since the introduction of goal-line technology in the Women's World Cup. 

Daniela Montoya equalised for the Colombians and scored the country's first-ever goal in the Women's World Cup with an incredible strike from distance. 

VINE - #COL's first goal in the #FIFAWWC was a GOLAZO! https://t.co/qxBYIcJR5k

— FanSided GIF (@FanSidedGIF) June 9, 2015

[Vine]

It’s going to be a very busy summer for Mexican footballers. Not only have El Tri been invited to take part in the 2015 Copa America in Chile, but they have the Gold Cup to negotiate in the coming weeks too.

So perhaps it’s no surprise that manager Miguel Herrera has chosen to prioritise one tournament over the other, naming something of a shadow squad, mainly consisting of the brightest Mexican talent from Liga MX, for the South American showpiece.

It means none of Mexico’s highest-profile players will be on show in the Copa America—the likes of Javier Hernandez, Hector Herrera and Carlos Vela were all omitted from the 23-man squad—but it’s a brilliant chance for some of the men on the periphery of El Tri’s best XI to show their worth.

Here’s the full tournament schedule for Mexico, the 23-man squad in full and a closer look at a couple of players likely to shine for El Tri in South America.

Rafael Marquez

For so long Rafael Marquez has been the glue keeping this Mexican defence together and his role is likely to be more important than ever at the base of a fringe XI.

Now 36 years old, the Hellas Verona man hasn’t enjoyed the best of seasons domestically, but as was evident with some stirring performances at the Brazil World Cup, he’s a man that typically saves his best for the national side.

As Herrera himself noted ahead of the Copa, he’s a player that adds so much more to the side other than the obvious, per ESPN Tri:

While the former Barcelona man is a little less dynamic these days, his reading of the game remains as sharp as ever. His leadership skills will also be imperative as these Mexico players look to gel quickly in a tough Group A.

This is likely to be Marquez’s last major tournament for El Tri too, as noted here by Tom Marshall of ESPN.com:

As such, he’ll be desperate to put in some commanding performances in this competition. Mexico may not be genuine contenders for this title, but they still look as though they have the requisite quality to get out of the group and into the knockout matches.

If they are to progress, El Tri are going to need a big tournament from their veteran skipper. Expect him to rise to the occasion in the iconic green jersey once again, helping a capricious squad through what are set to be a trio of ferocious group games.

Raul Jimenez

There were big things expected of Raul Jimenez when he signed for the then-Spanish champions Atletico Madrid last summer. After all, the striker had been in magnificent form for Liga MX side Club America and seemed to have the requisite qualities to take European football by storm.

But as noted by WhoScored.com, the Mexico international made just four starts for the Rojiblancos, scoring one La Liga goal. So it’s little surprise, as noted by ESPN Tri, that the forward is still looking a little rusty:

This Copa is a brilliant chance for Jimenez to get back into some sort of form. With the likes of Vela, Hernandez and Oribe Peralta absent, he’ll get a sustained run at the point of Herrera’s attack and while Chile and Ecuador will be dangerous Group A opponents, there are frailties to be capitalised upon at the back in each side.

As we can see here, when he’s in the groove, Jimenez has the talent to do exactly that:

In the warm-up matches, Jimenez has been a little isolated at times, particularly in the 2-0 defeat to Brazil. It goes without saying that the service into him needs to improve if Mexico are going to get the best out of this classy but hesitant forward.

However, the fact remains that El Tri are going to find themselves under plenty of pressure in their matches against Chile and Ecuador. So while Jimenez will flourish with a stream of ammunition, he also needs to do better with his back to goal and providing an outlet for his team; if he can begin doing those fundamentals properly, the rest will quickly fall back into place.

Mexico and Peru will play a warm-up match ahead of the Copa America. It's a chance for El Tri to show their credentials as legitimate contenders for the forthcoming tournament.

As for Peru, their veteran strike force, boasting plenty of experience at the top levels of European football, can cause any team problems.

Here are the relevant schedule and viewing details for this friendly:

Date: Wednesday, June 3

Time: 8 p.m. Local time. 2 p.m. BST.

Live Stream: Watch ESPN.

Preview

Mexico are always expected to produce a good account of themselves at this tournament, but the current squad is weighed down by concerns, according to ESPN FC writer Tom Marshall. He pinpointed two key areas as the most pressing ahead of the big tournament.

Marshall feels the midfield is a little stunted, citing a lack of creativity: "The starting midfield trio of Javier Guemez, Juan Carlos Medina and Luis Montes lacked ideas against Guatemala, and the positions are still open, with two friendlies to go until the Copa America kicks off."

A shortage of flair in the middle could be a problem for an otherwise dangerous forward line that counts Raul Jimenez and Eduardo Herrera as its key figures. But the pair need consistent supply in order to thrive.

Perhaps Villarreal winger Javier Aquino might provide some quality delivery from the flanks. The 25-year-old registered a pair of assists in limited La Liga action on loan at Rayo Vallecano this season, per WhoScored.com.

Fellow winger Jesus Corona has impressed for Dutch side Twente this season. ESPN FC reporter Cesar Hernandez called Corona's "risk-taking dribbling and shooting" "a refreshing sight for El Tri."

Corona will be expected to add some pace and dynamism out wide.

Of course, any time a team has problems along the front, those concerns can be alleviated if things are solid at the back. That will depend on the performances of ageing but still effective central defender Rafael Marquez.

The one-time Barcelona linchpin, now 36, is essential to the three-man defence manager Miguel Herrera favours, per Marshall: "In Herrera's formation, the libero plays a vital role in playing the ball out from the back and starting attacks.

"That was missing from his replacement, Julio "Cata" Dominguez, against Guatemala. Marquez's vision can dictate the team's rhythm, even from a deep position."

Marquez needs to turn back the clock and be his usual rock-like self for his nation. Peru certainly have attackers with the pedigree to open up a struggling defence.

The obvious danger men are Bundesliga duo Jefferson Farfan and Claudio Pizarro. Schalke 04 winger Farfan hasn't lost any of his pace at 30. His movement also remains excellent.

As for Pizarro, the 36-year-old Bayern Munich striker is still a force in the air. He's also retained the instincts to take chances when they come his way.

This friendly represents vital preparation work for Peru. The squad hasn't been together since April, according to Goal.com's Alex Fisher.

As for Mexico, the weight of expectation will be on Herrera's men. This is the first of a dual tune up, with Brazil to follow.

A confidence boost would certainly be welcome ahead of the Copa America opener against Bolivia.

Mexico’s preparation for the Copa America will kickstart in earnest at the Estadio Victor Manuel Reyna on Saturday as Miguel Herrera’s El Tri face Guatemala in an international friendly.

The end of the domestic season in Europe will give the Mexico boss a chance to set the wheels in motion ahead of the Chile showpiece, and he selected an intriguing squad of players desperate to make an impression for this encounter with the CONCACAF outfit.

Here’s all the information you need on where to catch this one, as Herrera looks to replicate this team’s World Cup exploits in their continental competition.

Date: Saturday, May 30

Time: 6 p.m. (ET)

Live Stream: beIN Sports Connect (US)

Copa Preparations an Opportunity to Impress

Herrera will go into this friendly against Guatemala as well as the upcoming clashes with Peru and Brazil with plenty of decisions to make about which personnel will make it into his XI for their opening Copa contest against Bolivia.

Encouragingly for the popular head coach, there’s a lot of depth in this squad. There are also plenty of players who have blossomed into exciting talents since the World Cup, and as such, El Tri will be quietly confident of making steady progress in Chile.

Raul Jimenez is certainly one player to look out for in these encounters. Although he’s been on the periphery of the Atletico Madrid squad for the majority of this season, he has the class to cause any defence problems on his day and is the kind of character who will relish playing a key role in this side.

Here’s a reminder of just how effective he can be:

The forward will add incision and a major goalscoring threat, but expect his influence to be supplemented by a bolstered back line and midfield. Rafa Marquez, despite his advancing years, is likely to play a critical role after a recent renaissance of sorts with Hellas Verona in Serie A.

The 36-year-old will be tasked with gluing together an inexperienced squad, which contains only three players from European clubs. But, as was evident in Brazil last summer, what the former Barcelona man may now lack in athleticism, he has made up for with his refined defensive instincts.

In midfield, there are plenty of options and a chance for Javier Aquino to force his way back into Herrera’s plans. The Rayo Vallecano man was once the great hope of Mexican football before his stock tailed off; after a season on loan at Franjirrojos, he’ll be desperate to make an impact of sorts with the national squad.

With the Gold Cup on the horizon, the Copa may not be Mexico’s most pertinent concern. But a much-changed squad is likely to yield plenty of opportunities for a host of fringe players who will be keen on forcing their way into the reckoning for El Tri’s priority event further down the line.

Even this secondary squad will have too much for Guatemala in this encounter. Herrera will be hoping that with plenty of players hungry to impress, this team will turn in a classy performance for what is always a raucous set of Mexican supporters.

Prediction: Mexico 3-1 Guatemala 

Ever since Giovani Dos Santos showed his skills at the 2005 U17 World Cup, it was clear that he was going to be a player to follow.

He was just 16 years old at that time and was the only footballer on the team who was not playing on Mexican soil. Dos Santos was arrived in La Masia at age 11. He quickly became an undisputed starter with the youth teams, including Barcelona B.

Son of Brazilian player Zizinho, who appeared with Mexican clubs America, Leon and Necaxa, to name a few, it was clear that Gio had the technique and playing style of his father.

In the U17 World Cup, Dos Santos didn’t score, but that was far from being a concern. He became the brains on the pitch.

His fantastic touch and creativity gave Mexico depth and goal opportunities. No other footballer made as many assists as Dos Santos, who bagged a total of seven. His nearest competitor was Brazil’s Anderson, who had six.

Dos Santos’ brilliance earned him the Silver Ball, reaffirming that he was one of El Tri’s top players alongside Carlos Vela, who grabbed the Golden Shoe.

Gio was the kind of player Mexico lacked. He had fantastic dribbling skills, fine touch, speed and intelligence, which gave the team a lot of attacking options.

He quickly became one of the most promising footballers of the country.

Dos Santos returned to Spain and eventually made his debut with Barcelona’s senior team. His future seemed bright until he arrived in Tottenham Hotspur, where he not only barely played but was loaned on a regular basis.

His lack of playing time didn’t seem to hurt him much, though.

Dos Santos only appeared 57 times in a two-year span with Tottenham, Ipswich Town and Galatasaray.

However, he became an undisputed starter with Mexico's senior squad and proved to have enough talent to make a difference on the pitch.

Gio appeared 30 times with El Tri, 27 of them in the starting XI, including at the 2010 World Cup. In that period, he also scored six times with the national team.

Dos Santos played 90-minute games, making a difference despite barely appearing on a club level because his talents—fine touch, ability to create space and unbalance the rivals—made him a valuable asset. No other player on the team had those kind of skills.

Once he arrived in Spain, he started to appear on a regular basis, which helped him get back in shape. His rhythm was also better.  

One of his finest tournaments was the 2011 Gold Cup. He proved to be on the right track to becoming one of the best Mexican footballers.

Gio reminded us of the kid we saw back in 2005. He created goal opportunities, helped his teammates and even scored, and he did it in style.

Granted, injuries have gotten in his way, but he still makes a huge difference whenever he’s on the pitch.

Dos Santos is just 26 years old. He will probably make the 2018 World Cup, and if he keeps the momentum going, we could even see him in 2022.

As time has gone by, Gio has become a far more complete player, and all the trust and playing time he has received in Spain will also benefit Mexico.

Dos Santos has a fantastic set of skills in addition to the hunger to make a difference on the pitch, and the good news is he has a long way to go.

For the first time since the Liguilla system was instituted, the last four seeded teams made it to the semifinals: Chivas, Queretaro, Pachuca and Santos.

That means Tigres, America, Veracruz and Atlas were ousted after the first round (quarterfinals).

Different from most of the leagues in the world, Mexico has a playoff system that allows the top eight teams of the regular season to secure a place in the Liguilla, where they fight for the title.

But it also means more business—for the teams, for the Federation, for the players, you name it.

The fair thing to do would to be play against each team (home and away), and the club that sits atop the general table takes the title, like it happens in the UK, Spain, Italy, Portugal, etc.

But since that system doesn't seem that it will come back any time soon, the inconsistency and instability of the local league is evident.

Many can argue that the Liguilla brings the best out of the clubs, that it pushes them to play their best. But in all honesty, it doesn't.

Take for instance Santos, the eighth team in the general table. They had a 7-4-6 record, like Pachuca and Cruz Azul. The Guerreros secured 25 points, and it was the goal difference that secured them a spot in the playoffs.

They went from Matchday 6 to Matchday 11 winless (four defeats and three draws). After Week 11, they started to pick up the pace and finished strong, which explains why they managed to get into the postseason.

Then we have Tigres, the club that, overall, was playing better. But a couple of bad games against Santos left them out of the fight for the title. By the way, they are also playing in the Copa Libertadores.

UANL had the best record of the 2015 Clausura. They won nine games out of 17 in the regular season. They had the second-best defense and the fifth-best scorer of the tournament (Rafael Sobis) as well.

What about Veracruz? They led most of the tournament, they were the team with the least losses (three) and qualified to the Liguilla in third place.

Like Tigres, they had a couple of tough games, plus a couple of controversial refereeing decisions and two mistakes in the goal (Meliton Hernandez). The result? They are out of the competition.

Guadalajara is another good example. They turned things around, and after the regular season, they left the relegation zone behind and are now one of the top contenders for the title.

So basically, the clubs can play so-so during 17 weeks and still have a chance at hoisting the trophy. It doesn't matter what they did in the regular season; if they come and play at their best in the two legs of the knockout stage (quarterfinals, semifinals and final), they could easily claim the championship.

If the Liga MX was consistent, we would have seen Tigres grab their fourth title, but instead we saw them leave the Liguilla empty-handed.