I watch Mexican football closely & I can tell you it’s in a bad shape… the youth talent they used to produce is not the same.. long answer as to why:
The answer is simple and straightforward: corruption, a lack of accountability, and negligible interest in the sport itself, paired with shortsightedness. The Mexican Football Federation is a private company managed by businessmen and a council composed of the owners of the national league teams. They make decisions for the national team. These individuals are among the richest people in the country and own most of Mexico's largest companies. For them, football is merely a business. Their rationale revolves around maximizing benefits at the lowest possible cost and risk. This perspective leads them to invest not in developing players, but in acquiring inexpensive players from South American countries. These players then become the backbone of their teams for years, hindering opportunities for young, national talents who are undertrained and underplayed.
The answer is simple and straightforward: corruption, a lack of accountability, and negligible interest in the sport itself, paired with shortsightedness. The Mexican Football Federation is a private company managed by businessmen and a council composed of the owners of the national league teams. They make decisions for the national team. These individuals are among the richest people in the country and own most of Mexico's largest companies. For them, football is merely a business. Their rationale revolves around maximizing benefits at the lowest possible cost and risk. This perspective leads them to invest not in developing players, but in acquiring inexpensive players from South American countries. These players then become the backbone of their teams for years, hindering opportunities for young, national talents who are undertrained and underplayed.
For international exposure and to maintain their zero-risk, high-profit strategy, the focus is on organizing friendly matches in the U.S., where there is a large Mexican population willing to pay a significant amount for tickets, against smaller-scale rivals that are cheaper to host.
In Mexico, football is viewed more as a business than a sport, following a strategy of zero risk, high profitability, and low involvement. This mindset keeps Mexican football at a mediocre level as long as the profits are deemed "enough". The 2026 World Cup is coming to Mexico, which will be a lucrative opportunity for the federation. However, as of now, there are no plans to improve the team, the league, or competitiveness in general. It appears to be more of the same - low risk, high profitability, mediocre matches, and a subpar level of sport.
As for national disgrace, I’m not sure it will go that far, but will be another chapter of recent Mexican football failures
As for national disgrace, I’m not sure it will go that far, but will be another chapter of recent Mexican football failures
Hopefully they have just looked at our low FIFA ranking, and not bothered with much analysis. Read somewhere that in those 4 games we had against them most recently between 2013-2017 we on average only had about 35% possesion.
Our game has evolved hugely since those days. They could be in for quite a shock as we hopefully almost share the possession stakes. I remember the Peruvians post that game in Barcelona in 2022, saying they were surprised how much better we were than the AWs they played in 2017.
Not rocket science but obviously a solid start is what we want to help take the big crowd out of the game. They had a poor Copa America, and the 90,000 could get on their backs if it stays 0-0 for a long time, or dare we hope we get a lead. Losing or drawing against a team ranked 94th would be a national disgrace.
The key players - Boxall, Libby, Stamenic, Old & Wood play well and we are a shout. Can we get some quality balls to Wood? Forever our problem it seems. Can him and Old gell in their first ever game together?
Be interesting to see what plans Mexico have to nullify the Woodsman. RB Araujo who plays in the EPL, will no doubt be sharing some intel. 1.84m CB Vásquez who plays in Serie A probably gets the man marking job. Seems he's their biggest guy at the back.
Our game has evolved hugely since those days. They could be in for quite a shock as we hopefully almost share the possession stakes. I remember the Peruvians post that game in Barcelona in 2022, saying they were surprised how much better we were than the AWs they played in 2017.
Not rocket science but obviously a solid start is what we want to help take the big crowd out of the game. They had a poor Copa America, and the 90,000 could get on their backs if it stays 0-0 for a long time, or dare we hope we get a lead. Losing or drawing against a team ranked 94th would be a national disgrace.
The key players - Boxall, Libby, Stamenic, Old & Wood play well and we are a shout. Can we get some quality balls to Wood? Forever our problem it seems. Can him and Old gell in their first ever game together?
Be interesting to see what plans Mexico have to nullify the Woodsman. RB Araujo who plays in the EPL, will no doubt be sharing some intel. 1.84m CB Vásquez who plays in Serie A probably gets the man marking job. Seems he's their biggest guy at the back.