As Mexico bids farewell to the World Cup, a talented new generation awaits

This was supposed to be the tournament in which Mexico finally broke the quinto partido curse.

The phrase translates to "fifth game," and represents the country’s obsession of snapping a bittersweet streak. Following Monday’s 2-0 loss to Brazil, El Tri has now been knocked out in the World Cup round of 16 in seven consecutive tournaments. If Mexico had won and therefore secured a quarter-final spot, it would have meant a fifth World Cup contest, hence, the quinto partido.

Instead, El Tri remains stuck in a last-16 purgatory. After Monday’s result, Mexico will now have to wait at least until 2022 to once again attempt to reach that elusive fifth game.

With a number of experienced players on the roster, it seemed this summer was finally going to be the moment in which Mexico reached the quarter-final stage. Sadly, for the elder statesmen within the squad, this World Cup was likely been their best chance to reach this goal.

Several key players are either in their late 20s or have crossed into their 30s. Although it would be presumptuous to automatically exclude them from the next World Cup, it’s difficult to envision Andres Guardado, Carlos Vela, Javier Hernandez, and various others as crucial pieces to the 2022 puzzle. Even if some remain in the setup in four years' time, they will already be past the peak of their abilities.

And yet, when one door closes, another opens for up-and-coming figures. As disappointing as the World Cup elimination was, Mexico fans have reason to remain hopeful about the team's future.

If El Tri supporters are eager to find some reassurances about the next generation, they don’t need to look very far. A month before the World Cup began, Mexico’s U-21 squad excelled in the prestigious Toulon Tournament.

Following an impressive second-place finish in the competition, four Mexicans were included in the tournament’s best XI: Jorge Sanchez, Cesar Montes, Diego Lainez, and Eduardo Aguirre. Other talents on the U-21 roster such as Jonathan Gonzalez, Uriel Antuna, Roberto Alvarado, and Carlos Vargas highlight a thrilling outlook for El Tri.

If the senior team is interested in replacing its aging stars, picking names from the successful Toulon roster would be the optimal way to start.

There is a long list of promising young Mexicans plying their trade in Liga MX. It appears to be only a matter of time before league standouts like Rodolfo Pizarro, Orbelin Pineda, Gibran Lajud, Erick Gutierrez, and a handful others are given more chances to shine on the international stage.

Although the domestic first division still has work to do in supporting the development of young talent, significant and continued investment in academies has helped produce a new generation that has thrived throughout the league.

That said, one major criticism regarding Mexican stars-in-the-making is a stagnation caused by not trying their luck overseas.

For all of the benefits of playing in the highly competitive Liga MX, the league still can’t compete with the level of play seen in Europe. Moving more names abroad seems like the simple solution, but it’s much easier said than done. Due to a Mexican market that overvalues many of its domestics, European clubs are often reluctant to take significant financial risks on inexperienced players.

This issue is best exemplified by Jurgen Damm. Despite the fact that he was once an intriguing up-and-comer wanted by a host of clubs, the winger has yet to make a European move due to Tigres' high asking price. When it comes to buying young Mexicans, it's also not out of the ordinary to see wealthy Liga MX teams outbid more illustrious European counterparts.

However, there are those in the world's top leagues who remain undeterred by the lofty price tags. With each passing year, major clubs desperate to find the next Chicharito further set their sights on Mexico’s hidden gems.

PSV Eindhoven's Hirving Lozano is the most outstanding recent example, but others like Omar Govea, Joao Maleck, and Antuna represent the next compelling batch of Mexican youth likely to test their luck abroad.

No conversation about the next generation would be complete without a mention of the younger players in the World Cup roster. Both Lozano and Gutierrez have already been brought up, but other tournament attendees such as Jesus Corona, Carlos Salcedo, Jesus Gallardo, and Edson Alvarez will be vital in ushering in the new era.

There’s no lack of youthful alternatives for Mexico. Though it may come to lack some depth at certain positions - more strikers and goalkeepers are undoubtedly needed - there’s reason to believe that El Tri can bounce back.

Regardless of the recent failure to reach the quinto partido, the future still remains bright for El Tri.