had a dream group stage on the , profitable all three group matches for the primary time in its historical past.
Its reward? A troublesome contest in opposition to a South American rival that many specialists anticipated to have a greater World Cup efficiency than it did in the course of the group stage.
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Who will Mexico play within the spherical of 32?
El Tri will welcome to the Estadio Azteca for the spherical of 32 match, with the winner staying in Mexico Metropolis for a spherical of 16 conflict in opposition to the winner of and a third-place finisher.
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The Memo Ochoa second in footage: Mexico legend performs sixth World Cup
Mexico’s gamers elevate up goalkeeper #13 Guillermo Ochoa after profitable the 2026 World Cup Group A soccer match between the Czech Republic and Mexico on the Mexico Metropolis Stadium in Mexico Metropolis on June 24, 2026.
(CARL DE SOUZA, AFP through Getty Photographs)
1 / 1
The Memo Ochoa second in footage: Mexico legend performs sixth World Cup
Mexico’s gamers elevate up goalkeeper #13 Guillermo Ochoa after profitable the 2026 World Cup Group A soccer match between the Czech Republic and Mexico on the Mexico Metropolis Stadium in Mexico Metropolis on June 24, 2026.
(CARL DE SOUZA, AFP through Getty Photographs)
Ecuador was projected to be a possible darkish horse within the match — and should still be. La Tri knocked off on the ultimate day of group play to bounce again from a defeat to and shock draw with earlier within the match.
Mexico does maintain the heavy edge over Ecuador lately, having averted defeat in 5 of their final six conferences, together with a draw when the groups squared off on the 2024 Copa América — although El Tri wanted a objective to advance from the group in that match and could not discover one.