Each day between May 10 and the day before the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup on June 11, FoxSoccer.com analyst Jamie Trecker will preview each of the 32 teams playing in South Africa and tell you everything you need to know about each nation represented at the world's greatest sporting event.
Country: Mexico
Nickname: “Los Tricolores” (The Tricolors)
Mexico was the site of impressive indigenous (Aztec-Toltec-Mayan) civilizations before falling under Spanish rule for nearly 300 years. Today its 31 states make it the most populous Spanish-speaking nation in the world. Mexico also has what is considered to be the planet's most populous city, its capital, Mexico City. Mexico has the 2nd largest Roman Catholic population behind Brazil, with some 90% of its residents adherent to the religion.
The country became an independent state in the early 1800s and waged pitched battles with settlers in the then-nascent United States in what is today Texas and California during the Mexican-American War (1846-48) during the presidency of James K. Polk.
Mexico today is one of the United States' largest trading partners and provides a steady stream of both immigrants and migrant, seasonal labor. A far poorer country than its neighbor to the north, Mexico's prosperity is improving, but it is battling endemic corruption and terrifying drug violence. Still, it is a far better-off country than many of its neighbors in Central America, with the world's 12th largest GDP and a significant economy rooted in agriculture, heavy industry and gas distribution. It suffers, however, from extreme inequity in economic distribution and high unemployment.
There is a significant Mexican-American population in the USA -- Latinos overall in America are the largest minority group at some 30% of the population -- and relations between the countries are close in matters of commerce. Relations politically have been strained due to a flourishing drug trade, reactionary politicians on both sides of the border, and the tremendous income inequity between the two countries.
Soccer is the number one pastime of Mexico, with boxing and bullfighting well behind in that ranking. Mexico has a long tradition in the sport and an increasingly heated rivalry with the USA's national team.
PAST WORLD CUP SUCCESS: Mexico has never won the Cup, but has been a consistent qualifier, appearing 14 times. They hosted the Cup in 1970 and 1986, the latter as a replacement for Colombia. They were eliminated in the second (knockout) round in 2002 by the U.S., and they have reached the knockout stages in each of the past four Cups. They also won the Confederations Cup in 1999.
REGIONAL SUCCESS: Mexico is almost unbeatable when they play in their high-altitude home stadium, the Azteca, in Mexico City; only Costa Rica has won there. Away from home, however, the story is much different. Once, Mexico was the dominant force in CONCACAF. Up until this past summer, however, the U.S. seemed to eclipse them. That came to a halt with a big 5-0 thumping of the Americans at Giants Stadium. That gave Mexico their fifth Gold Cup title (1993, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2009).
LEAGUE OVERVIEW: The Mexican league is wealthy, but by and large has a poor standard of play for such financial output. The major teams -- Chivas de Guadalajara, Cruz Azul, America and UNAM Pumas -- are consistent contenders in either of their two seasonal tournaments (like many South American nations, their league play is split in two into a spring, or "Clausura," tournament and a fall "Apertura" tournament). They are also regular contenders in CONCACAF tourneys. But take them out of Mexico, and they fare badly. Mexican players have the historic knock of traveling poorly, and it may be due in part to the adulation -- and isolation -- they enjoy at home.
MANAGER: Javier Aguirre. This is El Vasco's (The Basque) second stint with Mexico, and he's pretty close to being a national hero. The ex-Atletico Madrid coach is widely credited with twice-reviving their World Cup qualification fortunes. But when the team crashes out of the Cup, he'll become just like every other coach in the notoriously fickle natioal program: unemployed. Mexico changes coaches like you change socks.
KEY PLAYERS: Midfielder/forward Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Veracruz) may be 37, but he got the team to South Africa. Whether his legs can hold up in Polokwane is another matter. He's still the inspirational leader and gives you a solid 30 minutes. Gio Dos Santos (Galatasaray) is the young attacker who looked so dangerous throughout qualifying. Quick but raw, Dos Santos isn't polished, but he does produce for the team. Rafa Marquez (Barcelona) is the best defender and expected to captain the side; he's coming off injury with his club team, but he's the most experienced player the team has, and is one of the better defenders at the Cup, overall. Carlos Vela (Arsenal) could be the X-factor. He slipped this year in London, but has the talent to succeed. At just 21, a big performance would go a long way to setting him right.
FIFA RANKINGS: 17th. Highest was 4th (twice, actually, most recently in 2006); lowest was 33rd (last July).
FIRST ROUND OPPONENTS: France, South Africa and Uruguay.
HEAD TO HEAD AGAINST FRANCE: The French have never lost to Mexico, beating them five times in six meetings, and playing to a draw just once. All but two of these games were in meaningful competition as well. France won 4-0 in the 1930 World Cup; beat 'em again at the 1954 Cup, 3-2; then drew 1-1 in 1966 at the England Cup. At the Confederations Cup, France creamed Mexico 4-0 in Ulsan. Most recently, France won 1-0 in St. Denis in a 2006 exhibition.
HEAD TO HEAD AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa beat Mexico in 2005 in the first stage of the Gold Cup, 2-1, as an invitee. In two previous friendlies, Mexico beat South Africa 4-2 and 4-0, both on U.S. soil.
HEAD TO HEAD AGAINST URUGUAY: Mexico is intimately familiar with the South American stragglers, having played them 17 times since 1952. Overall, Uruguay has a big edge, with Mexico 3-7-7 in all play -- but that comes with an important caveat: Mexico has never lost a meaningful game to this team. As they did with France, the two sides met in 1966, playing to a scoreless draw. The most recent match saw Mexico shock Uruguay in the third place game of the 2007 Copa America 3-1.
HOW THEY QUALIFIED: Pre-Aguirre, they looked horrible. Post-Aguirre, they looked like the best team in the region. They finished just behind the Americans on the final day of qualification in the Hexagonal with a 2-2 draw against Trinidad and Tobago.
PERCENTAGE CHANCE TO PROGRESS: 35% Mexico is in a tough group. They can get out of it, but it's going to be hard. They're not a good cold weather team (remember: it’ll be winter this summer in the World Cup) and South Africa is going to get a boost. The French are a mess, but on paper are the better team. I'm not sure I would gamble on the Tricolores.
TO WATCH: Blanco. He's old, but he's still the remarkable heart of the team. He arguably got them through qualification; can he do it against better opposition?
ROSTER
Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (America), Luis Michel (Guadalajara), Oscar Perez (Jaguares).
Defenders: Rafael Marquez (Barcelona), Ricardo Osorio (Stuttgart), Francisco Javier Rodriguez (PSV Eindhoven), Carlos Salcido (PSV Eindhoven), Hector Moreno (AZ Alkmaar), Paul Aguilar (Pachuca), Efrain Juarez (Pumas), Jonny Magallon (Chivas), Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres).
Midfielders: Andres Guardado (Deportivo La Coruna), Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Israel Castro (Pumas).
Forwards: Guillermo Franco (West Ham), Carlos Vela (Arsenal), Giovani Dos Santos (Galatasaray), Pablo Barrera (Pumas), Adolfo Bautista (Chivas), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Veracruz), Alberto Medina (Chivas), Javier Hernandez (Chivas).
TOMORROW'S TEAM: France
