If you thought Mexico were not taking next week's friendly with the U.S. men's national team seriously, you were wrong.
Mexico head coach Jose Manuel de la Torre has revealed his 18-player roster for the upcoming game against the United States at Estadio Azteca, and it is comprised of mostly first-choice players. Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, Andres Guardado, Guillermo Ochoa and Pablo Barrera are just some of the more well-known names on the Mexican team that will look to extend its unbeaten run over the Americans to five games while also staying undefeated against their northern rivals in their soccer cathedral.
Two of the more notable omissions for de la Torre are defender Carlos Salcido and attacking midfielder Giovani dos Santos, both of whom are currently with the Mexican Olympic team that will compete in the gold medal game against Brazil on Saturday in London.
U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann is not expected to announce his roster for next Wednesday's match until this Sunday.
Here is Mexico's 18-man roster:
Goalkeepers: Alfredo Talavera (Toluca), Guillermo Ochoa (AC Ajaccio, France)
Defenders: Francisco Javier Rodriguez (VfB Stuttgart, Germany), Hector Moreno (RCD Espanyol, Spain), Severo Meza (Monterrey), Hugo Ayala (Tigres UANL), Jorge Torres (Tigres UANL), Enrique Perez (Morelia)
Midfielders: Jesus Zavala (Monterrey), Manuel Viniegra (Tigres UANL), Edgar Gerardo Lugo (Santos Laguna), Adrian Aldrete (Club America), Pablo Barrera (Cruz Azul), Andres Guardado (Valencia C.F., Spain), Angel Reyna (Monterrey)
Forwards: Aldo de Nigris (Monterrey), Javier Hernandez (Manchester United), Elias Hernandez (Tigres UANL)
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What do you think of Mexico's roster? Do you see any U.S. team being able to get a result against this squad? Think El Tri will miss not having dos Santos?
Share your thoughts below.
I am just acknowledging that we know very little about the about communication going on. There are a lot of people involved in pulling these things together. Seeing the final roster and assuming that you know what is going on with the selections is just really dumb. I know that is what fans do, but just try not to make such demonstrative statements based on something you really don’t know. So, Shane, I just want you to understand that you see about .05% of what is going on in these lines of communication.
This game won’t sell out. Reports out of Mexico right now say only about 18,000 tickets have been sold and surely there will be about 25,000 last minute walk ups.
I’m expecting about 50,000 people once the game starts.
I think YOU need to get the tape buddy. Nilo completely shut down Adu. He only succeeded against an aging Salcido. Get over it.
lol having a different opinion doesn’t take away or add credibility, maybe it does with keyboard warriors like yourself.
Yes, Bradley scored a goal, against the run of play, but he was always chasing Torrado and Castro in the midfield, same for Jones. The American center mids lost the midfield, there are no ifs or buts about it. If you thought Castro and Torrado were “mediocre” then we just have differing views as to what the CMs should do.
How does Torrado, a 5’9 centermid, constantly beat both Jones and Bradley to aerial balls and ground balls?
As far as Adu goes, his impact completely diminished when Torres Nilo came on because the Tigres LB wasn’t allowing Adu any space when he got the ball. That’s the way I, and plenty of others saw it. It’s cool if you disagree.
You just lost all your credibility. Seriously, you need to get the tape of the game and watch it again. Torres Nilo came in on 28 minute, and Adu looked good well into the second half. And Mexico’s danger came from the wings and not from the middle. Torrado and Castro had zero goals and zero assists in this game. Bradley scored the first goal of the game. The second US goal came off a beatiful pass by Dempsey through the middle where Mexico’s holding midfielder was unable to catch up with the speed of passing. Adu and Dempsey also had uncontested shots on goal through the middle. Torrado and Castro had a rather sloppy game. If you want to compliment Mexico’s players, give the credit to Barrera, Guardado, Dos Santos and Chicarito, who were the difference makers.
Where does that come from? Klinsmann has screwed up practically every roster announcement he has made, and is upsetting players coaches. He is obviously doing a poor job of communicating. This stuff didnt happen previously.
It’s Mexico v USA, in Mexico City, one of the most populous cities in the world. They would have no problem filling a 200,000 seat sadium.
I agree…experience in this environment is a must for the youngsters. Although, getting shredded wouldn’t do much for the confidence.
wtf? lol
The only place we ever play there. Seriously, is there any more intimidating place to play in world soccer? Club or country? So many factors come into play.
Experience now for the younger guys JK will call in to hopefully make it a bit easier, if that’s even possible, when we go there for the qualifier?
yikes….
Bradley and Jones were most definitely outplayed by Torrado and Castro. There really is no question about that.
Torres Nilo took Adu out of the game, I don’t even know how you can argue that when Adu’s best moments came against Salcido. He was MIA after that.
Someone needs to take the blinders off…
I’m ignorant? You’re the one who thinks I’m Mexican just because of my last name. Jimenez is a Spanish name. Just because I point out a flaw of the US does not make me a troll or Mexico supporter. Read something besides soccer articles all day, tubby.
wut?
arf
^ just plain ignorant.
Will 100K even show up to watch a match that has no consequences? It’s just an exhibition.
Well…guess I can leave SBI for today…I found the “MONEY” Comment.
No Fear!!
Man the smog and altitude is just an excuse come on USA there are teams who have beaten Mexico at the Azteca like Jamaica comes to mind! We need to fight, and attack! Put it all on the field.
if US plays well and gets at least a point in Azteca next year (I realize the odds of that), everyone will look back and praise the idea of playing Mxico in Azteca this year.
Who cares if this is a likely loss-guess what there’s at least a dozen team if not two dozen in the world that you could say that about right now. US players need to play against top notch squads to get better since the rest of CONCACAF is way below world-class.
i am sure he has communicated with individual clubs, coaches, and players already. he is probably trying to avoid the nightmare of naming the roster and then having to fill in several holes due to guys that are actually not coming.
I could care less about the result of this friendly, but it’s a good move by the USSF to give Klinsmann and younger players an taste of Azteca, before they play there a game that matters. This game will prepare our team for the future and make it stronger.
Dude, please come down and stop you adulation over Mexican team. The US always struggles at Azteca due to the high altitude and air pollution so most US fans have pretty low expectations for this friendly other than testing some of the younger players in the hostile atmosphere. As for the Gold Cup, you need to rewatch the tape. Adu tormented Mexican defense throughout that game and look really good until substituted. It was Bob Bradley who took him out of the game, and not Torres Nilo, who struggled against Adu. And Mexico did not outplay the US in the center, where Bradley/Jones operated. Mexico won the game on the wing, where Bornstein was torched by Barrera and Dos Santos for all 4 goals. I do agree with you, however, that Mexico’s midfield in this game should be fine. Guardado and Barrera are their first choice players and the remaining midfielders are not chopped liver either. It should be a good game!
It’s a friendly. Not everyone will play the entire game. No gio. Lots of new faces for mexico. This game is nothing but a practice. Stop freaking out.
“Gringo”
Same goes to you. I don’t appreciate the cholo comment just like you don’t appreciate the bringing one. ….. that said.
GO MEXICO!!!
I expect Klinsy to name an young MLS heavy squad, but to include the regular Euro’s in Boca, Jones, Dempsey and Howard and maybe Boyd and Altidore,
Totally agree. This game is just that, a friendly and only pride is on the line. But Klinnsmann wants the players to be exposed to the worst conditions imaginable: A excellent team in a very inhospitable climate (high altitude, heat, smog and 100,000+ screaming Mexicans.) After this game, the US should be able to weather the Central American away games without a blink. Plus if the US looses, no biggie, but if they win, Mexico will have a lot of thinking to do.
A good team too. But with 5 important Euro players in pre-season form, they face the same problem as the US with even more Euro players in preseason form. Although I hope Klinsmann brings in Terrence Boyd. The man is en fuego for Rapid Vienna.
this isnt twitter cholo
Mexico City “Azteca”
do we want to Win? throw in Justin Gatlin as FW and let Bocanegra just boot it upfield like he usually does.
He’s injured. And if he wasn’t he’d probably want some rest since the Olympic final is tomorrow.
I see a lot of sure fire “we are going to lose” posts – sort’a reminds me of how we were gonna get of asses handed to us in Italy. They may lose, yes, but then again…there’s a reason why they play the game.
If we are to win at Azteca and I had a choice to do it either next week or nest year? I’d gladly take the loss next week. Two for two would be something though…yup, wouldn’t that be something…
^ignorant of diversity in the US.
going to be a hell of a game for the US. a lot of these guys playing in the mexican league are in mid form while our roster will likely feature a lot of euro based players who are in preseason. i’m very curious to see the roster.
“Jimenez”
…yawn.
Hate to say it but we are going to get our tits ripped
Not that he cares but Klinsi is burning good will with these roster announcement games.
This is going to be tough (not a suprise) playing in Mexico against a obviously loaded/talented and confident “EL Tri”, this could be ugly if we don’t find gather ourselves quickly. I do not expect to win this match we are no where close to Mexico in individual talent or “youth” at the moment. Mexico’s U-23 team is playing Brazil for Gold at the Olympics on Saturday, we aren’t as competitive as Mexico is. Sure i’d hope for a win like the rest of US fans, but being realistic a team in transition such are we playing a cohesive and strong Mexico team in their own “backyard” is either going to be total annihilation or maybe a close “hair of the chin” losing effort.
Where is this game being played?
Mexico could field a u-17 girls team and the US still wouldn’t be able to break through the altitude and smog.
Why schedule a sure loss? How does that help?
I dunno…
Moreno and Rodriguez have been absolute rocks at the back lately for Mexico and are a much better defensive pairing than what we faced at the Gold Cup last summer. Torres Nilo is also a huge upgrade over Salcido at LB and his inclusion during the Gold Cup final completely took Adu out of the game. Severo Meza is a newcomer but he dealt well with Brazil’s attackers, including Neymar in June. Mexico’s back four certainly looked a lot better than whatever we put it out against Brazil.
I’ll also respectfully disagree with regards to their midfield.
I mean, last summer we were so sure the Bradley+Jones pairing was going to dominate Torrado and Castro and the complete opposite happened.
I suppose you haven’t watched much of the LigaMX lately. Viniegra and Elias Hernandez have been two of Tigres’ best players for quite a while and will certainly provide a stern test for our midfield and defense.
Aside from the european players and a handful of regulars from the league, there are quite a few guys on Mexico’s roster that don’t feature regularly, if at all, for Mexico. Guys like Viniegra, Elias, Ayala, Reyna and Lugo.
US needs help if they are to even make this match competitive imo
Its the A team, the goalkeeper is second string. USA is not that bad, they just need balls and more balls to play against the premier nations
That defense could be suspect, and that midfield isn’t very good either. Can’t wait to see the US roster. There should be some new names on there.
Still don’t quite understand why Klinsy didn’t announce this week. Maybe doing final negotiations with clubs to get players?
Are they all pretty much flying in for the game? I would have thought he would have used this weekend as well…
No dos Santos is a relief to me. This is a strong team though.
wow, look at all the youth. Meanwhile the US will bring in the usual 30+ defense..