The Mexican National Football Team is gearing up for the highly anticipated Concacaf Nations League Final Four, set to kick off on March 20, 2025, at the SoFi Stadium. Under the guidance of coach Javier Aguirre, the national squad is ready to face Canada, igniting aspirations of securing their first title at this level.
On March 10, Aguirre revealed his final roster, selecting 23 players from the pre-list of 60. Notably absent are star goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who has been deemed underperforming during his time at the Portuguese side, and forward Henry Martín, recently not at his best. This decision has drawn attention considering Ochoa's long-standing role as the national team's first-choice keeper. Instead, Aguirre opted for Carlos Moreno, the Pachuca goalkeeper, as one of the three goalkeepers along with Ángel Malagón from Club América and Raúl Rangel from Chivas.
When reflecting on the potential of the team, Aguirre emphasized the importance of the match against Canada. "Canada is a very powerful team, and we undoubtedly respect them greatly," he stated during the announcement of the roster. Meanwhile, the United States, the defending champions of the tournament, are considered favorites to win once again. Aguirre is determined to prevent his neighbors from lifting the trophy for the fourth consecutive time.
The full roster is as follows: Goalkeepers—Angel Malagón (Club América), Raúl Rangel (Chivas), Carlos Moreno (Pachuca); Defenders—Johan Vásquez (Genoa), César Montes (Lokomotiv Moscow), Ramón Juárez (Club América), Israel Reyes (Club América), Jesús Gallardo (Toluca), Rodrigo Huescas (Copenhagen), Jesús Angulo (Tigres), Erik Lira (Cruz Azul); Midfielders—Edson Álvarez (West Ham), Luis Romo (Chivas), Carlos Rodríguez (Cruz Azul), Luis Chávez (Dynamo Moscow), Orbelín Pineda (AEK Athens); Forwards—César Huerta (Anderlecht), Efraín Álvarez (Tijuana), Roberto Alvarado (Chivas), Alexis Vega (Toluca), Julián Quiñones (Al Qadisiya), Raúl Jiménez (Fulham), and Santiago Giménez (Milan).
One of the standout players to watch is Santiago Giménez, who recently transferred to AC Milan and is expected to make his mark on the national team stage with this tournament. Alongside seasoned campaigners like Raúl Jiménez, he forms part of what many hope will be a formidable attacking line. Aguirre’s selection reflects his willingness to mix experienced players with fresh talent to meet the challenges at this stage of the tournament.
Mexico's match against Canada will commence at 8:30 PM (Mexico City time). Should the national team prevail, they will advance to the finals on March 23, 2025, at 7:30 PM, where they will face the winner of the United States versus Panama match. If they fall short against Canada, they will compete for third place on the same day at 4:00 PM.
Historically, this tournament has proven to be competitive, with challenges arising from tactical play and strategic match-ups. Aguirre acknowledged the intensity of the upcoming game, noting, "The difficulty is always high when facing other top-tier teams, but preparation is key. We’ve worked hard to get here and will seek to challenge the USA if it becomes necessary to do so after we tackle Canada first."
The upcoming games mark not only the importance of seeking glory for the Mexican side but also shedding light on strategic decisions made by Aguirre as coach, reflecting broader dynamics within Mexican football, including the integration of Europe-based players, signaling the growing depth of talent available.
Fans eagerly await seeing how the strategy will play out on the pitch and whether the Mexican national team can deliver results on this grand stage.