Mexico is a rustic the place soccer is linked to nostalgia. Followers tune in for the current, however dialog inevitably drifts to days passed by, of remembering some guys of the glory days.
So, when produced a gap recreation in opposition to South Africa, similar to in 2010 when Bafana Bafana hosted, and a second group recreation in opposition to South Korea, similar to in 2018, it brings up numerous reminiscences.
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The query is whether or not or not Mexico will return to the great ol’ days of all the time getting out of the group.
El Tri had develop into fixtures within the World Cup knockout spherical, although not within the quarterfinals, advancing to each Spherical of 16 because the 1994 match till the nightmare of 2022. Now, with the World Cup expanded and going down partly on dwelling soil, El Tri need to win that — and go even additional.
However can they accomplish that with this draw?
The previous conferences stick within the thoughts, although solely tremendous followers will keep in mind a 1995 Confederations Cup match in opposition to potential UEFA playoff winner Denmark. North Macedonia, Czechia and the Republic of Eire are also potential UEFA entrants into Group A, with a playoff in March deciding who advances. The reminiscences of Siphiwe Tshabalala scoring and Rafa Marquez equalizing in 2010 or of the convincing El Tri win over Korea in 2018 after that tournament-opening shock over Germany carry a smile to the face.
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What issues now, although, is the current.
Mexico’s current regarded vivid in the summertime, after El Tri gained the Gold Cup, confirming they had been the perfect staff in CONCACAF after having lifted the Nations League trophy for the primary time in March. The Gold Cup remaining triumph, a come-from-behind victory in opposition to the U.S., stands as Mexico’s final win. Javier Aguirre’s aspect did not win any of the six pleasant matches it performed this fall. That has loads of followers involved because the staff heads into 2026.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum holds up Mexico after drawing from a pot the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup on the Kennedy Middle in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photograph through AP)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The draw gained’t do a lot to allay these considerations. Whereas the margin of error is wider, because the third-place staff from some teams will advance within the expanded World Cup format, Mexico seems to have the hardest draw of the three hosts.
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Even after being penalized for fielding an ineligible participant, South Africa topped a World Cup qualification group that additionally included contenders Nigeria and Benin — although attending to play “away” qualifiers in opposition to Lesotho and Zimbabwe was an enormous benefit afforded to few different groups. Their again line, typically with center-back pairing Siyabonga Ngezana and Mbekezeli Mbokazi, was stingy and will pose issues in opposition to a Mexico assault that has lacked a punch or relied on teenager Gilberto Mora to create scoring alternatives.
Korea and Mexico loved a soccer brotherhood in 2018 after Kim Younger-gwon and Son Heung-min’s stoppage time targets helped Mexico clinch passage to the knockout stage regardless of a 3-0 loss to Sweden. The great vibes solely continued with Son arriving in Los Angeles to affix LAFC, a membership with a big Mexican fan base, this summer time.
But, with proper again an enormous query mark for Aguirre going into the match, El Tri followers will likely be a lot much less enthused to see Son than they had been eight years prior. Defending in opposition to speedy wingers who’re good on the ball shouldn’t be one thing Mexico will need to do, however it gained’t have a selection in Guadalajara.
And whether or not Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia or the Republic of Eire come via the UEFA playoff, will probably be a staff with abilities based mostly in a few of Europe’s strongest leagues.
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Even in an expanded World Cup subject the place a real Group of Loss of life is more durable to outline, it is a difficult path.
But for all of the admonishments to beware of those groups, El Tri have loads of positives as nicely.
The middle-back pairing of Johan Vazquez and Cesar Montes ought to have South Africa locked down, with Edson Alvarez beginning assaults in entrance of them. Mora is a generational expertise who has been as much as each second he’s confronted up to now. And whereas their type has waned, forwards Raul Jimenez and Santi Gimenez definitely may rip off a run of targets and provides Mexico a pair of nice finishers up prime.
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Mexico has a path to getting followers speaking much less in regards to the glory days and extra about what this technology can obtain — cementing a spot within the nationwide reminiscence for many years to return. However they realized Friday that it may not be as straightforward as they as soon as hoped.