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Marquez, Fabian headline 19-man Mexico roster for USMNT friendly

Rafa Marquez Mexico (AP)

By FRANCO PANIZO

Mexico has named a 19-player roster for its upcoming friendly with the U.S. Men’s National Team, and it is not short on talent.

Rafa Marquez and Marco Fabian headline the fully-domestic-based squad that head coach Miguel Herrera unveiled on Thursday ahead of the April 2 friendly with the U.S. in Phoenix, Ariz. Other notable players on the team include Alan Pulido, Paul Aguilar, Alfredo Talavera and Jesus Eduardo Zavala.

Two players omitted from the squad were Jose Juan Vasquez and Oribe Peralta. Both players are dealing with personal matters and were not called up as a result.

Here is Mexico’s full 19-player roster:

Goalkeepers: Alfredo Talavera (Toluca), Moises Munoz (America)

Defenders: Paul Aguilar (America), Miguel Layun (America), Miguel Angel Ponce (Toluca), Francisco Javier Rodríguez (America), Juan Carlos Valenzuela (America), Rogelio Alfredo Chavez (Cruz Azul), Enrique Perez (Atlas), Rafael Marquez (Leon)

Midfielders: Jesus Eduardo Zavala (Monterrey), Juan Carlos Medina (America), Marco Fabian (Cruz Azul), Carlos Alberto Pena (Leon), Luis Arturo Montes (Leon), Isaac Brizuela (Toluca)

Forwards: Alan Pulido (Tigres), Raul Jimenez (América)

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What do you think of Mexico’s 19-man roster? Expecting the USMNT to beat this group? Having visions of Julian Green torching Marquez for a pair of goals in the latest 2-0 win for the Americans?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I totally agree eventhough it hurts but just take a look players produced by Mexico. Hugo Sanchez pentapichichi in La Liga and in tha all time ideal 11 of Real Madrid. Rafa Marquez great career with barca. Javier Hernandez. These are and were players in the case of Rafa and Hugo world class players. And there were and still are a ton of Mexican players that are much better than our best ever Donovan.
    I dont know if we will ever be able to produce a player like at least Cuahutemoc Blanco let alone the big boys like Hernandez and The great Hugo Sanchez.

    Reply
    • “I dont know if we will ever be able to produce a player like at least Cuahutemoc Blanco let alone the big boys like Hernandez and The great Hugo Sanchez.” – I think it is inevitable that the US will. Claudio Reyna left the bricks in place to do so at the USSF before leaving to NYCFC. Somewhere in a country of 314 million people (maybe at one of the new MLS youth Academies) a coach is going to identify a genetic freak kid that in years past would have gone on to be a big wide receiver.

      The kid is going to go through the development process the RIGHT way, on a team that doesn’t just boot the ball to the fast kids at the U-14 level…and after 10,000 hours of practice time before he turns 18 (maybe at Seattle) he is going to have access to an NFL style weight and fitness room, on an team with an NFL style media film room. I think that kind of thing is only a matter of time. Furthermore, look at some of the most explosive players in the Wolrd: Messi, Zlatan, Baloteli. What do they all have in common? They were either born to immigrant parents, or moved at a young age to their adopted country, and as an “foreign” kid had a giant chip on their shoulder to prove to people they belonged…I suspect there are a few kids like that in the States.

      Reply
  2. Lil” sounds like you are jelous of the Mexicans, but its true and it hurts their soccer is light years away from ours just take a look at the results of the concachampions last week the Mexican teams wiped out our MLS teams like a tornado on a trailer park. But our soccer some day will be ok.

    Reply
    • There has to be some degree of seperation between leagues and national teams. The US keeps winning the WC hex in concocaf while Mexican clubs win the club championship. Dig deeper and you’ll see Mexican clubs also include very talented players from all over Latin America that mls teams can’t afford. Mexicans are very good at soccer but the paradigm between Mexico and the US has been changing for the last 10 years and Klinsi is improving it even more to the US favor.

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      • Perhaps not a perfect evidence of this, however of the MLS’s 7 goals 3 were by American players, 1 Brazil, 2 Irish and from Liga MX’s 11 goals, 3 were from Mexican players, 2 Ecuador, 6 Argentina.

        At least when it comes to goal scoring it’s the other Central and South American talent that’s separates the leagues at the moment.

  3. I wouldn’t say Mexican players are more “naturally talented” but they have produced more talented soccer players. It’s not like Mexicans have stood out in any other sports, so I don’t buy the naturally talented thing. Soccer is the only thing they seem to be good at and athletic is not a word that normally comes to mind when watching their players.

    Reply
    • 10,000 hour rule. More kids that spend after school hours kicking it around with their buds on the street or even at a Liga MX academy than playing T-ball. That will change.

      Reply
    • More naturally talented? No way. It’s just that way more people in Mexico, as a percentage of population, play soccer than in the US so they have a deeper pool of potential players.

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  4. I agree with Jack and im not sure if we will ever be able to produce a player like Javier Hernandez let alone Hugo Sanchez. Sad but true Mexican players seem to be more naturally talented than our American players.

    Reply
    • Oh, please. So how come the US has won the past two Hexes and done better in the World Cup? It’s ridiculous comments like I see here from Mexican trolls that make me wish we hadn’t scored late on Panama so that the arrogant Mexican fans would finally shut up.

      Reply
      • USMNT fans have been running their mouths for a while now, they are the new arrogant ones it seems.

      • If Mexico won the Hex and the only reason the US was going to the World Cup was because of a last second goal they didn’t need. Then US fans continued to say well it doesn’t matter we still have the better more talented team, I’m sure Mexico fans then wouldn’t say anything.

  5. Lets be honest Mexico has always had better talent than us. Just take a look at the history Hugo Sanchez pentapichich and best concacaf ever. Rafa had a decent career with barca. And there are a ton of players that were much better than our best player ever Donovan. And letss not forget that 5-0 beating on our own back yard with a B team. And the 4-2 again in 2011 gold cup final. Lets just be honest.

    Reply
    • Problem is after he gets burned he always goes for somebodies knees. Look out Cobi Jones. Seriously I hope they pull Marquez early I don’t want to see any important players get hurt. He is dirty in the true Mexican sense of the word.

      Reply
    • Did a Mexican run over your kitten or something? Maybe did a bad job fixing up your lawn? ‘Cause I get the impression you’ve got an axe to grind…I’m sure there is a tea Party blog better suited to you.

      Reply
      • LMAO.

        I pretty much wonder the same thing for all these hardcore Anti-Mexico USMNT fans, not just on SBI but everywhere else.

        I know there’s a rivalry and all but I can tell it’s personal when I read certain comments.

      • Dude, I sorta understand it when Mexican fans throw urine bags and what not at the Azteca…..but JESUS CHRIST keep in mind that for every rich ass Mexican billionaire’s kid in the stadium there are 10 people who were taught in school by some crappy ass Mexican teacher’s Union teacher….holy crap yea there are some folks in Mexico who aren’t that educated…and jeez, when you compete in you favorite sport against the RICHEST MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY IN THE WHOLE WORLD…you know, it is kinda of a BIG DEAL. Especially considering the fact that the USMNT is like the Mordor of world soccer…..you just know in a decade or so it is going to be a complete beast. Next time you meet a Mexican fan who calls you a “P*to Gringo” just offer to buy them a beer, and cr*p will get normal real quick.

      • *RICHEST MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY IN THE WHOLE WORLD…which you know on raaaaaare occasion has thrown its weight around in Latin America. Just a tad. I think the USA as a people and as a soccer country has a lot to be damn proud of, but dang do folks underestimate the physiology of the whole situation. You walk down Reforma Avenue (which is real pretty BTW) in Mexico City and you walk by a monster sized monument for the teenage cadets that were slaughtered down to the last man defending Chapultepec castle from the US armed forces.

  6. I’m expect at least two reds in this game by scumbags Dempsey and Marquez. Marquez with a dirty tackle, and Dempsey with his infamous groin tackle(I wonder if Talavera has recovered from that groin tackle Dempsey gave him in the 2011.Gold Cup final).

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  7. All domestic, and not one player from Guadalajara, who restricts their roster to citizens. I guess their decline has been a long time coming. Funny that.

    Reply
    • Umm, you do know that Francisco Javier Rodríguez and Marco Fabian are Guadalajara system products right? As a matter of fact, I believe that Marco Fabian is only on loan to Cruz Azul.

      Reply
  8. By the way, who will win mexican power rangers vs American golfers 🙂
    Zordan we got a problem
    Hey Landon, go for a hole in one

    Reply
  9. I feel bad for USA, basically USA has like A-teams buts since they are all spoiled mexican babies, they bring the team down. Hopefully USA will educate their players not to be brats 🙂

    Reply
      • Lol nah, Fabian has been a monster for cruz azul this season and is making an argument for best player in mexico

      • That’s cool. If Mexico had a midfielder of Bradley’s quality, they would have finished at least third in the Hex.

      • That is correct. 5 different coaches having the same problem proved it was a lack of talent on the field.

      • Obviously its not talent because just the year before mexico made most US fans tremble. And yeah because playing with several different coaches with different ideas in a short amount of time is not ideal for any team

      • You said that having Bradley wouldn’t have made a difference for Mexico, it was all coaching. Pretty clear conveyance.

      • I think it is one has to say that M. Bradley and Fabian have very different games, and comparing them isn’t a going to be a productive discussion. Frabian I understand is more of winger/attacker, M. Bradley is Box to Box guy whose first job is to be the destroyer in back, and then distributes and supports the attack.

      • Fabian is no where near as valuable to his team as Bradley is. Engine’s are tires are totally different and you need them both to make a car go, but the Engine is always considered the most important most expensive component. Tires can be found anywhere. (Bradley is the Engine, Fabian is the tire)

      • The tempo setter. The guy who brings everyone else together and makes them play as a unit. That is what Bradley is. It isn’t always the best player and it isn’t always midfielder. It usually is one of the best players and it usually is a midfielder though.

      • Because Xabi alonso is not nearly as valuable to spain as bradley to US, but xabi is obviously a much better player

      • AAAAARGH! OK, lets just put this to bed. If your MLS or Liga MX team signs both M. Bradely and M. Fabian, you get motherf***ing half nekid, and dance on your rooftop playing Country and Northeñas or Cumbias with a bottle of Jack Daniels in one hand and Jose Cuervo Tequila in the other. HAPPY?!!!!!

      • Miles… Based on what, the past few weeks of footy… I’ll go with the guy who has sustained a professional career in three European countries and played in a World Cup instead of choosing the flavor of the season.

      • Love MB90, and he’s a different player than Fabian, but Fabian starts over almost anyone in our midfield.

      • Yeah bradley and fabian are different players, but in our attack, fabian would no doubt be a starter for US, but i think bradley would be a starter for mexico too

      • It has never been about where players play. Chichi plays for Man U. That doesn’t make him better than anyone. Bradley is hands down the best midfielder in Concacaf. No competition. Mexico is the 4 best team for a reason.

      • laughable to consider a guy who played in the second tier Gold Cup when all the real boys were away as the most talented player. He hasn’t played with the true A team in the past. Great prospect, but Bradley is a great player, there is a difference.

      • They are both great players, just because he was an a** hole in MLS, that does not take away from his talents. And i think fergulli was replying to the fact that the guy above believed bradley was better just b/c of his european career. In that case he mentioned rafa who has the best career, club wise, than anyone in concacaf

      • read the chain buddy. Rafa marquez was an example the conversation is about Fabian. Obvious Rafa has played with the A team for years and years. Just follow the comments they go from top to bottom. You’ll learn to keep up.

      • Please tell me where I said Bradley was better because he played in Europe? I made the exact opposite point with chicarito. I said Bradley is better because he is more important to the team. He sets the tone and forces the team around him to play better. He has proven his capabilities to do that with the full USA squad. Fabian has done very little with Mexico. His best performances came with a B team in the Gold Cup.

      • What are you talking about? You arent even following what your saying. Did you even read the comment Fergulli was replying to? AKA, reading from top to bottom? I clearly said the guy fergulli was replying to which is the comment ABOVE. That was the guy who said bradley was better due to experience in europe. Please learn to read from Top to Bottom

      • Someone put up a link to that site that dissected every one of the Red Bulls’ goals that went in because it was Rafa’s fault. That was gold there.

        Still remember when all of RBA started booing Rafa after he let in 2-3 goals in the first half against RSL.

        Bum. Hope he makes it to the WC and then is red carded, giving up the goal that eliminates Mexico from the tournament.

    • Are you crazy? When Arjen Robben got injured Julian Green took his spot on the Bayern bench. That clearly make him the best player in CONCACAF.

      Reply
    • ————Rimando———-
      Parkhurst-Gonz-Besler-DMB
      –Bradley—Beckerman–
      Zusi—-Dempsey—Donovan
      ———-Wondo————–
      ———————vs————
      —–Jimenez——Pulido—–
      Fabian—-Peña—–Montes—
      ————–Zavala——–
      Luyen-Marquez-Rodríguez-Aguilar
      —————Munoz————

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      • Isn’t that a pretty slow centerback pair for Mexico? Maybe a couple through balls for USA? Of course we don’t really have anybody to run onto them, but…

      • It’s very slow. Mexico’s best CB pair isn’t available right now due to them being Euro players. (Moreno, Reyes)

      • Yup Wondo could really get under those two and allow Don & Demps to do something.

        El Tri have been playing with an extra cb for a while now.. I dont see who on this roster takes out Jimenez or Zavala

  10. Oh man, they called up the guy from San Jose – Isaac Brizuela. As things stand, he’s the only one who resisted Klinnsy’s charms.

    Reply
      • He most certainly was.
        Mexico brought him to the Gold Cup without real plans to use him just to he could be cap tied. The US was on his case, but was not ready to include him on the squad.
        It was pretty much a Julian Green situation.

      • Ehh not really.

        Brizuela has gone through every level of the Mexican youth NTs and even won the PanAmerican games in 2011.

        He suffered a muscle injury and subsequent drop in form in early 2012, which opened the door for Aquino to take his place. Brizuela always talks about the conversation he had Luis Fernando Tena following the PanAmerican games, where Tena told him de la Torre was keeping a close eye on him and that even if he didn’t make the Olympic squad, he would still have a chance at the WC squad since Chepo had given him a lot of confidence when he managed Toluca.

        The idea that Mexico capped Brizuela because the US was dangling candy in front of him is a complete fallacy. The kid has always been firmly entrenched in the Mexico camp. Like Ponce.

        It’s a shame because I think he has tremendous 1v1 ability and pace to burn.

  11. It will be interesting to see how both teams go about their strategies for this game. To see if both sides take it as a friendly, with the intent of gearing up for the World Cup, and thus making 5-6 substitutes during the game (I am assuming this will be a 6 sub rule game), to get several guys some game action……or if both sides value the momentum that a win would give on the way to the World Cup, as opposed to getting fringe guys 20 minutes of game action.

    If we win, its going to be a great boost to be able to celebrate another home Mexico win, and have good energy going into the next round of friendlies before the World Cup…….but if Mexico wins, then their momentum, needless to say, skyrockets.

    Its funny how people seem to devalue friendlies when we win, and overvalue them when we lose. When we beat South Korea 2-0 at home, we get the “its just a friendly” from some people. When we lose 2-0 against Ukraine, we get the “US can’t compete with fringe teams”. I take the stance that you either value friendlies, or you completely dismiss them. I value them, and this game feels like it has a lot more riding on it than most, even just apart from the fact that every game with Mexico has that added feel.

    Concacaf swung when we got two straight results in Azteca. The next swing will come when either Mexico or Costa Rica wins a road game against the US. Having that happen right before the World Cup, obviously would not be ideal.

    I am all about getting some guys some looks in this game (obviously especially Julian Green), but instead of a normal friendly maybe being 70% winning/30% getting guys game time……this needs to be 98% winning/2% getting guys game time.

    Reply
  12. No Peralta? That’s hella disappointing. US backline needs to get challenged and honed.

    On the other hand I’m eager to see Fabian play, he’s been hot.

    Reply
      • Yedlin is a bad-ass, but I understand that he still has some saviness to develop. Against average competition he can use his talent to overcome his “rawness”…but around minute 80 against someone like Fabian who freakin’ lives and trains at a mile and half high? It would be a learning experience.

        I see a LOT of America, Toluca and Cruz Azul players on that roster…. lots of boys that play at above Denver altitudes….if their mentality is right (which really is the goddamn problem with the TRI), they are gonna be a pain to play against at minute 80 plus. This is what I like about this friendly, both teams will go after each other and it will be one more step in get their minds right for Brazil ( I hope).

    • How did Peralta never leave mexico? I’m not saying he would be amazing in Europe but kinda shocked he never took a try.

      Reply
      • Hey, hopefully he takes his time, and if he leaves, he should go to a mid-level team in Spain…thus not getting buried on the bench liker Javier Hernandez at MU. My particular preference if for Americans to go to the Netherlands for their intro into European football, and Mexicans to go to Spain. It just seems like Americans and Mexicans can get a raw deal when they try to start in the UK. Exhibit A and B: Jozy at Hull, freakin’ Vela at Arsenal.

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