Mexico National Soccer Team — Is it different to reach the quarterfinals than to be in the top 8?
Another year, another coach, one more term, another group, another team, one more World Cup.
It seems at first that it will be the same as every World Cup. That the history of the Mexican Team, El Tri, will repeat itself:
To reach the second phase in the World Cup, the round of the best sixteen.
It confirms its history. Mexico National Team has the potential for more. But in the end, it concludes disappointing the fans and not meeting expectations.
With no appreciation that other national teams would love to have the record the Mexican Team has. To reach seven World Cups in a row to the round of sixteen, and being the group first place on several occasions.
The achievement is worthy of mention.
Though, how about going for more? What about improving? How should the team advance?
Let me analyze some things to see the difference between going to the fifth game and being in the top 8.
Set a goal, and make it public
I do not remember seeing that before. In previous terms, coaches announced to go through the fifth round game in the World Cup. And that was it.
I do not recall another coach who was as focused on goals as this one.
And at the same time, not throwing unrealistic goals. Like promising to reach the final or win the World Cup without enough talent and work to back it up.
Goal setting is essential in any sport. There were goals in past terms. However, they were very general or mediocre. They did not establish where to go, much less show work on how to achieve the goal.
In the past, the objectives of the Mexico National Team were not made public. Other than going to the World Cup and reaching the quarterfinals.
That thing of “reaching the fifth game” always sounded mediocre to me.
Our goals must be achievable, but at the same time, they should inspire us to go beyond the limits. They should motivate us to strive.
Goals should go with short and medium-term objectives.
During a press conference, Martino said,
“We want to play against the best teams in the world as much as possible. What interests us the most is that our team shows a sense of knowing how to play and that our idea of playing is clear. If we achieve that, the target may be closer.”
Stand among the top eight teams in the world in his leadership term is achievable and prudent. At the same time motivated.
Because who is now in the top 8?
Below are the latest FIFA rankings.
There is a list of top teams in history. The national teams of Belgium, France, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Uruguay, Italy, and the Netherlands stayed at the top.
Some have even come out of the top 10 as Germany, Colombia, and the Netherlands do now.
There is more to say about how FIFA makes this ranking, but it will be in another time.
These teams have remained in the top 10 of the FIFA rankings for the last ten years.
Furthermore, these top teams succeed during official FIFA matches. That is friendly matches, World Cup qualifiers, official tournaments, and World Cup matches.
The Mexican National Team has been in and out of that top 10 list.
So, the goal of standing in the top eight means Mexico must play at the same level during the whole term of Tata Martino.
It gives a sign of a long-term preparation with clear objectives. It also suggests they are looking for ways to achieve them and not giving up.
The proper person
A trait of Tata Martino is his honesty. He has generated controversy when speaking publicly about the harsh truth of the Mexican National Team football-playing level.
Let us be honest. No one likes to hear the truth. We, as fans, deceived ourselves by believing in the lie that Mexico is an elite team. Because we want to win does not mean we deserve to win the World Cup. Especially without achieving significant success.
So Tata comes to open our eyes and shows us the reality of where Mexican soccer is.
By knowing such a truth, the players can become clear where to start, where they want to go, and where they have to go.
His clarity when speaking with the press makes us trust him.
It makes us believe that he knows what he is doing.
Martino is also a down-to-earth man. He knows where he stands, where his team goes, what he should work with the Mexican Team, and how to achieve it.
A team cannot win for its players only. Must have a great leader on and off the field.
Gerardo Torrado confessed they were not wrong in choosing Martino as the new coach.
He is the right person to lead the Mexican National Team.
Knowing the weaknesses
Martino knows the weaknesses of the Mexican National Team. Both throughout its history and the current ones.
He understands the history of the Mexico National Team during World Cups.
Martino understands why the team has not passed the round of best sixteen for seven World Cups in a row.
He explained that Mexico had control in decisive matches during the World Cup. Yet, it ended up losing the game.
It has been the story of the Mexico National Team.
Martino interprets it as loosening it up the last 15 minutes of the game. That is, failing the decisive games during that period.
We can compare it to the NFL and the two-minute drill.
It is a drill practiced to learn to be under pressure at the end of the game. To learn to control the last two minutes and know how to close the game. It requires intelligence, control, temper, and speed to issue in a victory.
Martino aims to improve those final 15 minutes of each match, and he showed it in the 2020 four friendly games.
Against the Netherlands, Mexico resisted the attacks during that time. Mexico triumphed 1–0 against the Netherlands with most of its starters. Although Martino was critical in an interview with TUDN Network. He stressed Mexico lacked ball possession in the last fifteen minutes.
Against Algeria, the African Champion, Mexico remained calm. Despite going down on the scoreboard, they showed patience during the last part of the game. They preyed on the opportunities. The tying goal from Diego Lainez fell within those final minutes, with the assist to Raúl Jiménez.
Against South Korea, Mexico scored three goals that fell during the last 30 minutes of the match. In the end, there was an error in the small area from Mexico, and Korea scored its second goal. Though, they could not do more. Mexico took the win 3–2.
In the last match against Japan, Mexico controlled the entire second half. Both goals fell in the final thirty minutes and finished 2–0 in favor of Mexico.
Martino was unbias during interviews. He emphasized that the first 20 minutes of the game had been the worst in his management.
Breaking the mentality barrier
Martino is dealing with the mentality of the Mexican soccer player too.
The mentality stops Mexico National Team from advancing and obtaining better results. It is the underlying root that has made them waste opportunities and lose.
About this, Tata has his thoughts. He declared Mexico rises from inferiority against the top teams. Yet, the Mexico team lives from those victories and does not transcend. A clear example during Russia 2018 showed. The team beat Germany in the group stage but lost to Sweden for the group first place.
Martino declared at a press conference in August of 2019,
“This is the barrier we have to finish breaking. It is what we should do to be reliable when we carry the burden of the match.”
We will not see this breaking barrier until Qatar 2022 happens.
Nonetheless, Tata has been mapping that path since his arrival. We look forward to witnessing it in Qatar.
The environment and the entourage
The Mexican football scene is going through an outstanding period. Something not seen in decades. The Liga MX junior teams and Junior National Teams are developing and growing. The Liga MX created the women’s soccer league. The Liga MX promotion league is under restructuring. A new football league, Liga de Balompie Mexicano came out too. Although, it got canceled during the pandemic.
This environment produces more quality players from a younger age. The rigorous competition generates more experienced players.
Besides, former National Team players from previous generations are now at the forefront. They became executives or coaches in the Liga MX teams or the Football Federation. They are full of World Cup experiences and venture into other international tournaments. Some of them even had recognized careers in Europe’s top leagues.
Former players such as Javier Aguirre, Nacho Ambriz, Miguel Herrera, Jaime Lozano, and Gerardo Torrado belong to that list.
Plus, Luis García, Jorge Campos, Carlos Hermosillo, Hugo Sanchez, and Oswaldo Sanchez are now sports commentators.
Many more are on that list too.
They are a large group of former Mexican National Team players. People who know what it means to belong to Mexico Team and what it takes to stay at the highest level. They are now leaders in the soccer domain, off the field.
The group
Last, the current brood of national team players is a successful bunch. Some of them won the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. They have won titles in Liga MX. And those who immigrated to Europe have also won titles and become idols in their clubs.
The foundation of this group of players, most of the starting ones, play in European leagues. They persist in playing at the highest level for the last years.
And those who continue playing in the Liga MX maintain a level worthy of value by European teams. Several of them are in their early twenties. Many others are in line waiting to join the Mexico National Team. Young guys like Santiago Gimenez or Marcelo Flores.
Conclusion
It is attainable to be in the top eight of FIFA rankings and the results at par.
It is not reaching the fifth game, the quarterfinal round in a World Cup. But, to prove with results in official matches, the Mexico National Team belongs to the top eight.
It is more motivating that the 2026 Mexico-US-Canada World Cup is the next. Mexico would act as a local team with many fans in the region.
The Mexico National Team could aim to be in the top four teams.
They will have to work for it steady. This management can do it. It has enough time and resources to do it.
This generation of players and coaching staff on the National Team can make it possible.
