Mexico not close to setting World Cup roster
Javier Aguirre, coach of Mexico’s national soccer team, has spent most of the winter and part of the spring cautioning patience when it comes to settling on a roster for this summer’s World Cup in South Africa.
“The World Cup is in June,” Aguirre has repeated. “We’re still in March.”
Time, however, is running out. Wednesday night’s exhibition with Iceland in Charlotte, N.C. ( Telemundo, 5 p.m. Pacific), is the final of four “observation games” for Aguirre and his coaching staff, after which they’re expected to name a preliminary 18-man team that will be invited to training camp.
“Everything’s gone as planned,” Aguirre said following last week’s 2-1 win over North Korea, Mexico’s third win in as many tries on the 12-match World Cup warmup. “This period was to test players. And we’re doing that. We’re on a good path.”
Then he threw out a teaser.
“The list includes people,” he said, “and lacks people.”
Among those who are seem certain to be included on that preliminary list, which will be announced in the next two weeks, are forwards Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Javier Hernandez — neither of whom will be in Charlotte on Wednesday — and goalkeeper Memo Ochoa.
That leaves a lot of players needing impressive performances against Iceland to improve their chances of making the cut. Among those who may be on the bubble are defender Paul Aguilar, midfielders Israel Castro and Braulio Luna and forwards Alberto Medina and Pablo Barrera.
“We’re all hungry to win a place in the World Cup,” Castro said. “Nothing is guaranteed. We have to show what we can do.”
Added Reyna: “All of us want to wear the jersey of the Mexican national team.”
Aguirre said Sunday that the team he selects over the next two weeks will be the one that finishes the North American part of Mexico’s pre-Cup schedule. But nothing is certain beyond that.
That’s because the preliminary roster will be augmented with as many as eight European-based players for the team’s final exhibitions in May. That list will then be trimmed to the Cup limit of 23 players on June 1.
“Myself, and my coaching staff, we’re always thinking of what’s best for Mexico,” Aguirre said. “We’re always thinking that by the 1st of June, we’re going to have put together the best team possible. That’s what everything wants. The players and the coaching staff.”
And what will it take to be considered what’s best for Mexico?
“That question would be better asked of Javier,” Luna said. “Our job is to work and to take advantage of our chances.”
