Despite the dark cloud over the existence of El Tri, two months before the World Cup, at the media day of the Mexican team in Los Angeles ahead of the duel against Peru at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Saturday (5:30 pm). There was a calm and friendly atmosphere among the players and the coaching staff while talking about the injuries, bad moments of the selected team and the lack of goals in the team.
During Argentina’s Gerardo Martino’s tenure as coach, Mexico finished second behind Canada in World Cup qualifying, and lost the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Nations League final to the United States, a team they had lost in the play-offs. were unable to.
In terms of friendly matches, they have not made a good impression, as they recently lost to Paraguay by a narrow margin, tied with zero goals against Ecuador and lost 3–0 to Uruguay. In those games, as strong a defense as Concacaf might have, El Tree is not able to score a single goal, something that Martino is concerned about.
Mexico shares Group C of the World Cup against Poland, Argentina and Saudi Arabia, a difficult group, especially because of the bad moment El Tri is going through. However, Mexico has not been eliminated in the first round of the World Cup in Argentina since 1978.
However, after Trai’s performance in the last matches of the qualifying round and their recent friendly has cast doubt on the tricolor, what the Mexican national team said on Tuesday is an exaggerated matter.
“It’s been a bit much, we’ve had good moments and bad moments, we’re not the best or the best”, said Raul Jimenez, one of the biggest tricolor stars facing the World Cup. “You have to know how to measure everything with a single measurement, most of the time we’ve tried to do things well and that’s how they turned out”.
The veteran Andres Guardado will be in his fifth World Cup, and has been one of TRAI’s most important players in previous World Cups. Saved said the pessimism may have been fueled by social networks, as many people can voice their opinions without knowing much about soccer.
“Maybe we have very short memories, I felt the same way with (Juan Carlos) Osorio. He yelled at Osorio to leave, he criticized him, whatever it was,” Guardado said.
Pessimism in the Mexican press and fans ahead of the World Cup is nothing new. 2018 was thought to be a tough group with TRAI under Juan Carlos Osorio and with Sweden, South Korea and champions Germany, Mexico, in which they defeated the Germans. In 2014, the same thing happened to a team that had to play the playoffs against New Zealand and qualify after defeating Cameroon, a draw against hosts Brazil and Croatia.
“It’s a bit overdone, we have good moments and bad moments, we are not the best or the best”
– Raul Jimenez, El Tri striker, on criticism of the Mexican team
“Spend a little time in the event you’re playing, the motivation, the enthusiasm, the passion, the commitment, the responsibility, the dedication grows. You don’t play the World Cup every month or every year. All the players and teams want to move on, it’s Happens to many teams and it happens to us too”, said Hector Herrera, a starting player of the 2014 and 2018 World Cup as well as gold medalist in London 2012.
For now, on Wednesday Martino once again paused on the position of players Carlos Vela and Javier Hernandez, both players in Los Angeles, in the MLS.
“In the case of Carlos Vela, three-and-a-half years ago he told me that he prefers not to call the Mexican team and that hasn’t changed,” said Martino, who has given the same speech over and over again, but on Wednesday this Justified himself more because the press event was in a city where Vela and Hernandez are the main players. “In the case of Javier, as I have said on all occasions, I have defined myself by the other strikers”.
Martino is currently defining the three forwards who will accompany him in Qatar 2022: Raul Jimenez, Henri Martin, Santiago Jiménez and Rodrigo Funes Mori. Both Jiménez and Fues Mori have opportunities, despite being injured, as Jiménez has been a starter in the qualifiers and Fues Mori is a natural Argentine Mexican during Martino’s process, in addition to being a historic scorer for Monterey.
“In the case of Carlos Vela, three and a half years ago he told me that he prefers not to be called to the Mexican national team and that has not changed”
– Mexico coach Gerardo Martino on the return of Carlos Vela to the national team
“I feel good, I intend to do my best, to play my part, to get out of it,” said Jiménez, who became the undisputed starter in the World Cup with Mexico even before his injuries. was taking shape. In November 2020, he suffered a serious head injury while playing for his team, Wolverhampton, England, in a head-on conflict with Brazil’s David Luiz, which put his career at risk. He is currently battling a back injury.
However, Jimenez said he has no doubts that he will make it to the World Cup, which is his third World Cup.
“Absolutely not, I know I’m gonna be there, I’m cool,” said Jimenez, who played 10 minutes in 2014 and 40 minutes in 2018. He will be the owner in 2022.
“It’s the best thing that could happen to me,” Jimenez said.
“People are looking for the leader of the past, who shouts, shows, and that has changed, not only in Mexico, but around the world. Now leaders have to be managers, know where you can say something and where. No, because kids are never the same, not only in football, but in life too.”
– Andres Guardado, four-time World Cup player with Mexico, on the lead in the trio
Martino clarified that FIFA’s list of 31 players for friendly matches against Peru and Colombia in California on the next two dates is not final, but it is very similar to the 26 players he will take to Qatar in 2022. According to the minutes of the game, Jiménez, Fernando Beltrán, Luis Chavez, Kevin Alvarez and Eric Sanchez could be the men sacrificed to define the final list for Qatar 2022.
“I haven’t spoken to any of them specifically about guaranteeing their presence at the World Cup,” Martino said in Los Angeles on Tuesday. “But there are many certainties and fewer questions, but that is also a logical thing, 60 days are left for the designation of the final list and the logical thing is that there is more certainty than doubt.”
Martino clarified that he felt bad for being “villains” except players and cited a case like Jonathan dos Santos, a midfielder who had a very difficult position at the Gold Cup and would probably miss the World Cup.
“Let’s look at the case of Jonathan (dos Santos). You will remember that he played in the semi-finals of the Gold Cup and his father (Francisco Zizinho) had just passed away. It was a difficult moment. He stayed because his Mom told him and he did more than comply,” Martino recalled of the delicate condition of the former Galaxy player and now Americas player.
One of the doubters is Jess “Tekatito” Corona, who is injured, and there is little chance he will recover to occupy one of the winger positions, although Martino said this would depend on the Sevilla player’s recovery.
Martino explained that Luis Romo, Ral Jiménez, Funes Mori and Hector Herrera are injured and the agreement with
their respective clubs is that they will leave El Trio on Sunday. With the exception of Herrera, all mentioned players have been ruled out for games against Peru and Colombia.
Another aspect that has been heavily criticized at El Tri is the leadership, but Guardado, who has been in the World Cup with Mexico since 2006, explained that times have changed.
“Rafa (Marquez) for me has always been an example. I consider myself a very open person in the work group. I’m close, I joke a lot, in the relationship that I have with all my kids, it lends itself to So that we can have a moment of conversation, I think it’s good to tell them,” Guardado said. “People keep looking for the leader of the past, who screams, shows up, and that has changed, not only in Mexico, but around the world. Now leaders have to be managers, know where you can say something and Where not, because kids are not the same, not only in football, but in life too. You have to adapt to the new generations, you have to persuade that person to actually get something”.
Peru, who begins its process with coach Juan Reynoso, will be a competitive opponent as it brings in important men to its squad and who, like its coach, know Mexican football as well.
After Saturday’s match, Mexico travels to Santa Clara for a friendly against Colombia in Santa Clara on Tuesday.
