MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico coach Javier Aguirre opted Sunday for a new generation of players to use home ground advantage at the World Cup in a bid to seek redemption after one of the worst failures for El Tri in modern times at Qatar 2022.
“El Vasco” Aguirre, guiding the Mexican team into a World Cup for the third time, overhauled a squad that floundered in Qatar and failed to advance from the first round for the first time since 1978.
He picked 13 players who weren’t part of the squad four years ago. The most intriguing of them all is 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora, who could become the youngest Mexican man to appear in a World Cup.
Mexico’s youngest World Cup player is Manuel “Chaquetas” Rosas, who was 18 years, 88 days when he played in the inaugural 1930 World Cup.
Brazil great Pele is among the seven players who have contested a World Cup at age 17 — the youngest of them all was Northern Ireland’s Norman Whiteside in 1982 in Spain.
Depending on when Mora makes his World Cup debut — Mexico opens against South Africa on June 11 — he would become the sixth or seventh on the international all-time list for youngest players at the tournament.
Among the veterans returning after the disappointment of Qatar 2022 is goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who has been picked in a World Cup squad for the sixth time.
Although Ochoa, who made his World Cup debut in 2006, has only played in three World Cups and is currently considered the backup to starter Raúl Rangel.
After taking on South Africa at the Azteca stadium, Mexico will face South Korea in Guadalajara and close out the first round against Czechia on June 24.
Mexico, on a seven-match unbeaten streak, has one more World Cup warmup match against Serbia.
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México:
Goalkeepers: Raúl Rangel, Guillermo Ochoa, Carlos Acevedo.
Defenders: Jesús Gallardo, Johan Vázquez, Israel Reyes, César Montes, Jorge Sánchez, Mateo Chávez.
Midfielders: Edson Álvarez, Erik Lira, Alvaro Fidalgo, Gilberto Mora, Brian Gutierrez, Luis Romo, Orbelín Pineda, Alexis Vega, Obed Vargas, Luis Chávez.
Forwards: Roberto Alvarado, Santiago Giménez, Raúl Jiménez, Julián Quiñones, Armando González, Guillermo Martínez, Cesar Huerta.
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