🇲🇽 - What would a Europe-based or domestic-based El Tri look like?
If Mexico can't bring players in for its friendly vs. the Netherlands, how will it look?
The Mexico national team will play its first game of 2020 in October, the Mexican federation announced last week, with a friendly match in the Netherlands. In the Dutch federation’s announcement, it said it will allow as many fans in the stadium as are allowed by local officials in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ideally, be it thanks to a vaccine or a SARS-esque disappearance of this coronavirus, the stadium is full and I fly to Amsterdam to ride a bike, smell the tulips and take in some soccer.
More realistically, however, we will still be coping with the spread of this deadly virus, meaning not only will restrictions still be in place about how many spectators are permitted in the Johan Cruijff ArenA but also those of us in countries where the pandemic is still affecting us more heavily than it is in Europe will still have our movement limited.
Authorities would not book a friendly match without thinking through some of these ramifications, but I thought it would be an interesting hypothetical to consider what Mexico’s squad would look like if it was only able to field a squad of players based in Europe.
There are a few problems that immediately jump out, namely the fact that there is not a goalkeeper with a single Mexico cap currently based on the Old Continent. That’s not to say Mexico is totally without options. A Guadalajara native in the Spanish third division, Juan Pablo Jimenez, plays goalkeeper. So, too, does 19-year-old Necaxa academy product Christopher Izaguirre, currently in Andorra.
Realistically, however, it’s tough to see either of those guys huddling up with Raul Jimenez or diving to stop a long shot from Georginio Wijnaldum. But! Guillermo Ochoa actually has a Spanish passport. After many years of struggling to lock in with a club that would use a foreign spot on a goalkeeper, Ochoa got the passport and left basically right after, returning to América. We’re going to cheat a bit and say he could get in despite travel restrictions.
In front of him, Nestor Araujo, of Celta de Vigo, is a lock as our left center back. Edson Alvarez will need to partner with him in our Europe-based team rather than play in the midfield, where Tata Martino actually wants to see him grow, simply because we’re lacking defenders.
If you don’t believe me, check out our right back, Jesus “Tecatito” Corona. Better as a winger, Corona also can deputize at right back, and with Mexico having more attacking players based in Europe to choose from, the second-leading assist-er in Portugal this year is our right back.
We get a bit lucky on the other side, with Gerardo Arteaga yet to play a game in Europe yet but confirmed to be heading to Belgium to play with Genk. Like Tecatito’s move to Twente or the legion of players who made stopovers at PSV, the move to a mid-sized European league should serve Arteaga well, making him improve quickly to stay on the field and ideally move to a bigger league within three seasons or so.
Speaking those PSV players, current Eindhoven resident Erick Gutierrez and former PSV captain Andres Guardado play in the midfield, with Atletico Madrid’s Hector Herrera behind. While it’s not HH’s forte, we needed Alvarez as a center back. You can probably swap Guti and Guardado as far as which side they play as well. Really, it’s a capable midfield that can do a lot - though protecting the back line will not be its strength.
Diego Lainez earns perhaps a surprise start with Corona needed behind him. The 20-year-old has seen some time since the restart, and as rumors continue to link him with Lyon and other clubs, the future is bright for more first-team minutes.
There is no question that Raul Jimenez plays up top, and Napoli struggles aside Hirving Lozano still is an extremely dangerous attacker who will start for Mexico no matter what real or fictional limitations we put on a squad.
On the bench I have, some goalkeeper, Omar Govea, another midfielder who after a good season at Zulte Waregem could be in the picture for Tata Martino, Pedro Arce and if any of the Mexican-American crew of Sebastian Soto, Ulysses Llanez, Richie Ledezma or Alex Mendez want to accept a call they can come to. Also Mallorca’s 15-year-old Luka Romero, but all signs indicate he’ll represent Argentina or maybe Spain.
As you can see, the team is a bit thin, especially at the back, but it’s feasible if not ideal.
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It is, of course, much easier to field a Mexico national team made up only of players currently in Mexico.
Here, too, there are some weak points. The wingers, Cruz Azul’s Roberto Alvarado and Elias Hernandez are good players (who are going in different directions) but don’t necessarily strike fear even against potential Concacaf opposition like rumored friendly opponent Costa Rica. Forward JJ Macias, on the other hand, does, and a midfield of Charly Rodriguez and Luis Romo each starting off the new campaign well. Chivas’ Fernando Beltran had a good Clausura before the suspension, though it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a more veteran player like Luis Montes in the middle as well.
At the back, Mexico’s starting fullbacks, Jesus Gallardo and Luis “Chaka” Rodriguez get the nod, with Cesar Montes in the XI as he continues to become one of the top center backs in the league. In the other slot, I have veteran Hugo Ayala beating out Montes’ former Monterrey teammate Johan Vasquez, though probably not for long. It’s also not a great sign for Tata Martino that neither of Ayala’s teammates Carlos Salcedo or Diego Reyes have much of a case to be included in this squad.
You’ll remember Guillermo Ochoa from…the other team. If he’s off in Europe at the same time, Rodolfo Cota or Hugo Gonzalez could slot in.
The United States also is working to play October friendly matches in Europe, with the Scuffed crew already going through the exercise we did above and coming up with this team:
While, like Mexico, there are some areas of depth, this shows an evolution of what I wrote about around this time last year. While Mexico is unquestionably the king of Concacaf at the moment, and the top-level talent in Europe still surpasses that of the U.S., but the number of young Americans getting first-team minutes or showing positive signs in the reserve teams of clubs that have reputations for developing talent should concern the FMF. I know plenty of Mexico fans will dismiss it, but if the FMF doesn’t find a way to get more young talent overseas more quickly, it will be caught at the top.
Hopefully we’ll be able to see it play out on the field in Concacaf’s ambitious new World Cup qualification format - with full teams, not limited by who can travel where or who tested positive for what.