Copa America 2015 Preview: Mexico
Overview
As per usual, Mexico was one of the two national teams to open up its inbox and find a formal invitation to the Copa America.
A member of CONCACAF, El Tri are regular invitees to the competition, and they'll look to spoil the South American festivities like a distant relative whose belligerent behaviour ruins the family barbecue.
However, due to the upcoming Gold Cup, which Mexico is giving priority, Super Saiyan manager Miguel Herrera called up two separate squads for the two tournaments and assigned the weaker roster to the Copa America.
That isn't to say Mexico's squad is short on talent. Far from it. A number of promising youngsters will partake in the Copa America, among them Raul Jimenez, 'keeper Jesus Corona, and Marco Fabian, who were all part of Herrera's team at last year's World Cup.
El Tri generally perform well at the Copa America. They've reached the semifinals in four of the last six editions of the tournament, reaching the final in 2001 and finishing third in 1997, 1999, and 2007.
Their only poor showing since the turn of the millennium came at the most recent issue in 2011, when they were eliminated in the group stage after losing all three of their matches and had eight players sent home before the competition even kicked off for allegedly consorting with prostitutes.
Looking to recover from that debacle, Mexico will once again be expected to emerge from its group and will be an unfavourable opponent for any team in the knockout stage.
Group Stage Schedule
| Date | Match | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 - 06 - 12 | Mexico vs. Bolivia | 20:30 | Estadio Sausalito |
| 2015 - 06 - 15 | Chile vs. Mexico | 20:30 | Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos |
| 2015 - 06 - 19 | Mexico vs. Ecuador | 18:00 | Estadio El Teniente |
All times are listed in local time
Projected Starting XI
Jesus Corona; George Corral, Hugo Ayala, Rafael Marquez, Julio Dominguez, Adrian Aldrete; Javier Guemez, Jesus Corona, Mario Osuna; Eduardo Herrera, Raul Jimenez
All signs point to Mexico sticking with the vogue 5-3-2 formation that resulted in a solid run at last year's World Cup. El Tri's five-man backline will be marshaled by veteran centre-back Rafael Marquez and will allow wing-backs Hugo Ayala and Adrian Aldrete to surge down the flanks, joining Eduardo Herrera and Raul Jimenez in the attack.
El Capitan
Rafael Marquez might not recognise some of the younger players in Mexico's Copa America squad, but they'll all recognise him.
The 36-year-old defender holds a 18-year history with El Tri having made his international debut in 1997 as a teenager. His lengthy resume includes four World Cup showings - the last two of which saw him take the pitch with the captain's armband - as well as two Gold Cup titles and one Confederations Cup title.
Despite his wealth of experience, however, there are questions about just how much more Marquez's aging legs can still contribute.
It's possible the Copa America will mark the veteran's last huzzah for a Mexico side looking to the future, and Miguel Herrera will surely be hoping Marquez can inject some of his wisdom into the squad's juveniles before hanging up his international cleats.
The Star
Among the four European-based players in Mexico's Copa America squad is Raul Jimenez, the 24-year-old forward who will be counted upon to support Eduardo Herrera in front of goal.
At both the club level and the international level, it's likely that the best of Jimenez is yet to come. Glimpses of the phenom's next-level thinking on the pitch have been provided throughout his career, but it's clear Jimenez is capable of far more. He can alter the outcome of a match with one of his devastating key passes and is proficient when it comes to set pieces.
A convincing performance at the Copa America could be just the spark that takes Jimenez's into another realm.
The Young Gun
At 22 years of age, Jesus "Tecatito" Corona, the namesake of Mexico's 'keeper, is already generating a significant amount of buzz.
The versatile winger can dribble through an entire team at his liking or choose to create a goal-scoring chance using his exceptional passing skills, as he did only one minute into his international debut back in November, when he notched his first-ever assist for El Tri.
In his addition to his dribbling skills, accuracy, and speed, the Mexican virtuoso also holds a keen eye for goal, never hesitating to shoot from outside his opponent's box when the opportunity presents itself.
Corona really is the complete package.
Burning Questions
- How far forward will wing-backs George Corral and Adrian Aldrete push when Mexico is in possession of the ball?
- Will Rafael Marquez's age be cause for concern against younger and speedier forwards?
- Can we expect another Super-Saiyan celebration from Miguel Herrera?
Odds and Ends
Nickname: El Tri
Most caps: Claudio Suarez (178)
Top scorer: Jared Borgetti (46)
Best Copa America result: Runners-up (1993, 2001)