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Mexico
http://images.sportinglife.com/08/03/330/Ghana_v_Mexico_Pavel_Pardo_751586.jpg
Manager: Javier Aguirre
Captain: Rafael Marquez
FIFA Ranking: 17
Group A
Background: The Mexican football team have always struggled for success on the International stage, having only won one official International tournament, the FIFA Confederations Cup 1999. El Tri also compete in the Copa America, but the first they've got to has been two final losses, most recently in 2001 although they have had five victories in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Qualification: A bad start involved Hugo Sanchez being sacked for his failure to help the Mexican under-23's team reach the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Sven-Goran Eriksson then took over and failed to live up to expectations, being fired after losing to Honduras. Javier Aguirre followed and despite a stuttering start Mexico won five games to reach the World Cup through the extremely complicated CONCACAF play-off system.
The Team
Strengths: A strong spine of good quality players with experience makes up the Mexican team, such as Rafael Marquez at centre-back, Cuauhtemoc Blanco in centre-midfield, with West Ham's Guillermo Franco up top.
Weaknesses: Mexico struggle from a similar problem to South Africa, the lack of cutting edge to convert chances, so don't expect many goals! They create all the chances but fail to convert them; Guillermo Franco is the only stand-out finisher in the side and scoring goals has been a real problem for the side of late.
The Manager: Javier Aguirre is one of the more outgoing managers at this years World Cup and is a fantastic motivator, using his skills to bring a renaissance to a side with low morale after the failure of Sven-Goran Eriksson's time in charge. He is a big fan of changing his formation to suit the opposition but most usually starts with a forward thinking 4-3-3.
Star Men: Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Veracruz)
The most popular Mexican and a veteran of former World Cups, a precise passer of the ball who plays a very Gareth Barry style game, sitting back and feeding the ball out. Was out on loan at Veracruz in order to stay fit during the MLS close-season but has now signed permanently.
Guillermo Franco (West Ham)
The ex-Villareal striker plays upfront and is Mexico's best player going forward. An astute finisher, he doesn't stop running and chases the ball around, something he is doing more now that he is getting regular game time at West Ham.
manor15's Prediction
Group Stages. I think that it will be tight between El Tri and the hosts but the Mexicans lack of fire-power, particularly if Guillermo Franco is off-form could be their downfall, particularly if South Africa make the most of their home support to encourage them into scoring a few more goals, meaning that Mexico won't reach the Second Round, where they have gone out in the last three World Cups.
http://images.sportinglife.com/08/03/330/Ghana_v_Mexico_Pavel_Pardo_751586.jpg
Manager: Javier Aguirre
Captain: Rafael Marquez
FIFA Ranking: 17
Group A
Background: The Mexican football team have always struggled for success on the International stage, having only won one official International tournament, the FIFA Confederations Cup 1999. El Tri also compete in the Copa America, but the first they've got to has been two final losses, most recently in 2001 although they have had five victories in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Qualification: A bad start involved Hugo Sanchez being sacked for his failure to help the Mexican under-23's team reach the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Sven-Goran Eriksson then took over and failed to live up to expectations, being fired after losing to Honduras. Javier Aguirre followed and despite a stuttering start Mexico won five games to reach the World Cup through the extremely complicated CONCACAF play-off system.
The Team
Strengths: A strong spine of good quality players with experience makes up the Mexican team, such as Rafael Marquez at centre-back, Cuauhtemoc Blanco in centre-midfield, with West Ham's Guillermo Franco up top.
Weaknesses: Mexico struggle from a similar problem to South Africa, the lack of cutting edge to convert chances, so don't expect many goals! They create all the chances but fail to convert them; Guillermo Franco is the only stand-out finisher in the side and scoring goals has been a real problem for the side of late.
The Manager: Javier Aguirre is one of the more outgoing managers at this years World Cup and is a fantastic motivator, using his skills to bring a renaissance to a side with low morale after the failure of Sven-Goran Eriksson's time in charge. He is a big fan of changing his formation to suit the opposition but most usually starts with a forward thinking 4-3-3.
Star Men: Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Veracruz)
The most popular Mexican and a veteran of former World Cups, a precise passer of the ball who plays a very Gareth Barry style game, sitting back and feeding the ball out. Was out on loan at Veracruz in order to stay fit during the MLS close-season but has now signed permanently.
Guillermo Franco (West Ham)
The ex-Villareal striker plays upfront and is Mexico's best player going forward. An astute finisher, he doesn't stop running and chases the ball around, something he is doing more now that he is getting regular game time at West Ham.
manor15's Prediction
Group Stages. I think that it will be tight between El Tri and the hosts but the Mexicans lack of fire-power, particularly if Guillermo Franco is off-form could be their downfall, particularly if South Africa make the most of their home support to encourage them into scoring a few more goals, meaning that Mexico won't reach the Second Round, where they have gone out in the last three World Cups.
