Mexico World Cup 26-man squad announced: Ochoa, Lozano, Guardado, Raul Jimenez are all selected

2022-11-15 13:26

Mexico World Cup 26-man squad announced: Ochoa, Lozano, Guardado, Raul Jimenez are all selected


The final 26-man squad for Mexico's 2022 World Cup in Qatar has been revealed. Ochoa, Lozano, Guardado, Raul Jimenez are listed, "Chicharito" Javier Hernandez, Santiago Gimenez and Diego Lainez are excluded from the list.


In this World Cup, the average age of Mexico's squad is 28.5 years old, second only to Iran's 28.9 years old among the 32 teams. The 37-year-old goalkeeper Ochoa has been confirmed as Mexico's captain in Qatar. He and 36-year-old midfielder and vice-captain Guardado are about to usher in their fifth World Cup in their careers.


The 26-man squad for the expedition to Qatar was further narrowed and confirmed by the preliminary list of 31 men announced by Mexico coach Martino earlier this month. Among them, Sevilla winger Jesus Corona became the first player to withdraw from the World Cup squad due to his poor recovery from injury.


By Monday, Eric Sanchez, Jesus Angulo, Santiago Gimenez and Diego Lainez were also confirmed off the list.


Among the four, the loss of Gimenez and Lainez was regarded by the Mexicans as Martino's most controversial decision. The 21-year-old Santiago Gimenez is mainly a center and is currently playing for Feyenoord. So far this season, he has always maintained an excellent competitive state, scoring 11 goals and providing 2 assists for Feyenoord in 23 games in all competitions.


The 22-year-old Leines has also performed well this season - he has scored 2 goals and provided 3 assists for Braga in 10 games in all competitions, but Martino prefers to choose more on the offensive end. For the full Alvarado.


Mexico's future schedule

Mexico is in Group C at the World Cup, with Argentina, Saudi Arabia and Poland in the same group. According to the schedule, they will fly to Qatar after the match against Sweden and will wait until the 23rd to usher in the first World Cup match against Poland. 4 days later, Mexico will fight Argentina again, and finally challenge Saudi Arabia on December 1.


Mexico's World Cup squad of 26:

Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (Club America), Rodolfo Cota (Club Leon), Alfredo Talavera (FC Juarez)


Defenders: Nestor Araujo (Club America), Jesus Gallardo (Monterrey), Gerardo Arteaga (Genk), Hector Moreno (Monterrey), Jorge Sanchez (Ajax), Johan Vasquez (Cremonese), Cesar Montes (Monterrey), Kevin Alvarez (Pachuca)


Midfielders: Erick Gutierrez (PSV Eindhoven), Orbelin Pineda (AEK Athens), Hector Herrera (Houston Dynamo), Carlos Rodriguez (Cruz Azul), Andres Guardado (Real Betis), Roberto Alvarado (Chivas), Edson Alvarez (Ajax), Luis Chavez (Pachuca), Uriel Antuna (Cruz Azul), Luis Romo (Monterrey)


Forwards: Hirving Lozano (Napoli), Rogelio Funes Mori (Monterrey), Henry Martin (Club America), Raul Gimenez (Wolves), Alexis Vega (Chivas)