World Cup Preview: #29 Mexico
Previewing Mexico's chances at the World Cup
Continuing on with previewing each of the 48 teams in the World Cup today, we are taking a deeper look at Mexico.
Mexico has been the best CONCACAF team since the 2022 World Cup and has a great shot of making a deep run as one of the hosts. This will be their 18th appearance at the World Cup, but the last time they advanced past the Round of 16 was when they hosted the Tournament in 1986.
For those who do not know, I have my own International Ratings, which I have built over the years, and you can find them here.
At the end of this series, I will post my final rankings before the World Cup begins. In addition, I will be simulating the World Cup, which will likely be released the week before the tournament starts.
I will go in reverse order of my rankings, starting with my lowest-rated team and working up to my top-ranked team.
This will simply be a breakdown of each team. I will save my analysis for how they match up with each team for my group previews, which will come out a little closer to the week of the World Cup.
In case you missed it, check out my previous previews:
How did they get here?
Because Mexico is one of the three host nations alongside the United States and Canada, thye automatically qualified for the World Cup.
Mexico Stats
All data is from Footystats.org
It’s pretty clear if we are strictly looking at it from a results-based standpoint, Mexico has been the best CONCACAF team since the 2022 World Cup. They’ve won two Gold Cups and the 2024 CONCACAF Nations League.
Even at Copa America two summers ago, they were knocked out in the group stage, but they won the xG battle in every single match. In fact, their 2.1 xG allowed was the lowest rate in the entire tournament.
Mexico may not have elite talent, but they are a really good defensive team. At the Gold Cup this summer, they conceded only three goals and allowed a total of 2.09 xG across six matches.
What I find interesting about Mexico defensively is that they are certainly really good at defending in a low block, but at Copa America, they won possession in the final third at the highest rate of anyone in the tournament.
image via FotMob
Mexico has actually been a very possession-dominant team as well. They led Copa America, averaging 60.3% of the ball, and then also averaged 61.4% possession at the Gold Cup this summer.
The last time they were held under one expected goal was against Jamaica in Copa America. In my opinion, they are going to be a really underrated team at this World Cup.
Mexico Key Players
All data is from transfermarkt.com
Note: This is the projected roster, not the official one.
A majority of Mexico’s roster is playing domestically in Liga MX, which is a league that has been on the rise in recent years. However, their best players have made moves to play at some of the top clubs across Europe.
Even with all of the young, exciting talent across their squad, their most important player is 35-year-old Raúl Jiménez.
Jimenez scored nine goals for Fulham, but has been Mexico’s top goal scorer over the past few years. He scored all four of their goals in the CONCACAF Nations League and found the back of the net three times in the Gold Cup this past summer.
Mexico has a lot of experience across their squad, but they also have a wonder kid that could play a part at this World Cup. Gilberto Mora is only 17 years old, playing for Club Tijuana in Liga MX, but has put up incredible numbers as an attacking midfielder.
image via Best11Scouting
Edson Álvarez is coming off an injury-riddled season at Fenerbahce, but is still the heart and soul in central midfield for the Mexican National Team.
He played every single possible minute at the Gold Cup this past summer and is still Mexico’s best midfielder even at age 29.
Mexico Tactics
What is great about Mexico is that they are a versatile tactical team.
As I mentioned above, they did hold a lot of possession recently, but if we are being honest, it was against many teams they will not face at the World Cup.
Javier Aguirre has been in charge since Mexico was knocked out of the Gold Cup and has begun developing a really nice tactical system.
When Mexico builds out of the back, they do so in a pretty standard 3-2-5 like this against Panama.
However, there are plenty of instances over the last couple of years when Mexico has been playing with a lead. When they do get a lead and teams start pressing them high up the pitch, they will play super direct through Jiménez, allowing him to go 1 v 1 against the centerback.
Their CONCACAF Nations League final against Panama is a perfect example of that.
Mexico also loves to set up passing triangles out wide to draw the defense out and then allow Jiménez to make runs off the back line.
Defensively, Mexico will defend in a 5-3-2 out of possession and are very good when they sit in a low block.
Under Aguirre, they don’t press high, but instead sit in more of a mid block, but they are still very effective at winning the ball and creating those quick transition opportunities.
Mexico is also a really dangerous team on set pieces because they scored five goals of their 10 from them in the Gold Cup, including the go ahead goal against the United States in the final.