Mexico: “El Tri’s” 13th appearance at the World Cup finals

Even football experts rubbed their eyes in amazement when Mexico became the focus of so much attention at the FIFA Confederations Cup 2005. The performances of the multiple Central American champions were of the highest class. Marvellous displays by the Mexicans confirmed their sixth spot on the June 2005 world rankings. A 2-1 win against Asian champions Japan, a 1-0 win against World Cup winners Brazil and a 0-0 draw against European Champions Greece gave the team known as “El Tri” the group win ahead of Brazil. In the semifinals the team then suffered a 7-6 penalty shoot-out defeat against Argentina. In the third place play-off against World Cup runners-up Germany, the Central Americans again forced the match to go to extra time. In spite of losing 4-3 to the German hosts, the Mexicans were able to return home proud. At the FIFA Confederations Cup, one could see Mexico was one of the world’s top notch teams.

Here you can find information about the star of the team ...

Even football experts rubbed their eyes in amazement when Mexico became the focus of so much attention at the FIFA Confederations Cup 2005. The performances of the multiple Central American champions were of the highest class. Marvellous displays by the Mexicans confirmed their sixth spot on the June 2005 world rankings. A 2-1 win against Asian champions Japan, a 1-0 win against World Cup winners Brazil and a 0-0 draw against European Champions Greece gave the team known as “El Tri” the group win ahead of Brazil. In the semifinals the team then suffered a 7-6 penalty shoot-out defeat against Argentina. In the third place play-off against World Cup runners-up Germany, the Central Americans again forced the match to go to extra time. In spite of losing 4-3 to the German hosts, the Mexicans were able to return home proud. At the FIFA Confederations Cup, one could see Mexico was one of the world’s top notch teams.

Another success story followed two months later. Mexico qualified for the World Cup finals for the 13th time in Mexico City’s Aztec Stadium on 7 September. A 5-0 win over Panama in the CONCACAF – the continental federation – group secured the team coached by the Argentine Ricardo Lavole a place at the 2006 World Cup with two games still to play. Goals from Luis Pérez (31), Rafael Márquez (54), Jared Borgetti (59, pen), Francisco Fonseca (75) and Pável Pardo (77) paved the way to Germany after the Mexicans were defeated 2-0 the weekend before by arch rivals USA in the top match of the group. At the first qualifying stage completed towards the end of 2004, the Mexican goal machine proved their dominance by scoring 45 times when winning all eight matches.

The Mexicans are the “little kings” in North and Central America. No other team from the region has appeared so often in the FIFA World Cup. The 1970 and 1986 finals in Mexico have gone down in history as being especially exciting. Quarterfinal appearances on home soil are their biggest achievements. Italy stopped the Central Americans in 1970 and Germany sixteen years later.

Mexico usually takes a leading role in the most important CONCACAF competition. The national team won the championship, which has been held jointly for North and Central America since 1973, in 1977, 1993, 1996, 1998 and 2003. For the past 14 years, the CONCACAF title has been played for within the Gold Cup tournament to which teams from all over the world (South Korea, Brazil) are invited.

National coach Lavolpe is, in spite of the achievements, not to be envied. In Mexico, the team manager is often subjected to intense criticism, no matter how good the results are. Lavolpe’s right hand man is his assistant Jorge Campos, the former Mexican star player, who gained fame not only because of his goalkeeping skills but also because of his free kicks. The moustachioed Lavolpe has been responsible for the red and greens – they were knocked out by arch rivals USA (0-2) in the 2002 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals – since 2003. His problem is that Mexican football is flooded with foreign players. On the other hand, the league is very strong and the best by far in the region.

Lavolpe’s biggest problem is that the country’s former stars like to interfere in his work. Especially, Hugo Marquez Sanchez, the former top Real Madrid striker and five-time top scorer in Spain. Now the “UNAM Pumas” club coach, he permanently attacks the national coach and makes no bones about the fact that he’d love to replace the Argentine. The association’s president Alberto De La Torre stresses again and again: “We stand by Lavolpe’s four year contract.” Previously a goalkeeper and a member of Argentina’s World Cup winning squad in 1978, the national coach however caused quite a stir at the beginning of September 2005. Affected by the constant attacks by the Mexican media, he called Hugo Sanchez an “idol on paper” and referred to the USA as a “team my grandmother could play for”. He apologised for his verbal lapse shortly afterwards.

The South American, a chain smoker like his countryman and coaching colleague Luis Cesar Menotti, often attracts attention. At the Confederations Cup he accused the Italian referee Roberto Rosetti of being biased. Lavolpe has however often proved his abilities as a tactician. His team is now far more clever than was previously the case. The Mexicans want to use the FIFA World Cup 2006 to again come up trumps in Germany, one year after the Confederations Cup.

Here you can find more information about the star of the team from Mexico...

Here you can find more information about the trainer of the team from Mexico...