It was not so long ago that the Mexican Federation looked on the verge of collapse, wallowing amidst the chaos of a Sven-Göran Eriksson era, with its zeal for bringing in foreign talent while ignoring the pride El Tri supporters held in their country's talent.
Fast forward eight months, reinsert Javier Aguirre, and Mexico are fringe contenders to take home the trophy at South Africa 2010. After the teams that are being discussed as the tournament's main contenders - Brazil, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany - Mexico is playing just as well as any side in the world. When you think of some of the nation's you'll hear as contenders - England, France, Argentina, and Portugal, for example - Mexico is just as dangerous.
But first, Mexico will have to navigate Group A, an easier quartet than the FMF could have reasonably expected to draw.
South Africa - Mexico won the lottery. The first team drawn out of Pod 2, they get the hosts, and thanks to the placing draw, they will play the opening game of the tournament - facing the Bafana Bafana on June 11. Mexico is a vastly superior side, but you wonder how El Tri will adjust to winter in South Africa, as well as how somebody like Giovanni dos Santos will perform in his first World Cup match. This one should be a 3-0 win for Mexico, but all of the circumstances surrounding the match make it more compelling.
Uruguay - The last team to qualify for South Africa and maybe the most inconsistent, Uruguay's striking tandem of Diego Forlán and Luis Suárez will become preview-stars in the months leading up to the tournament. But there is a reason that this team, at one time cruising through the South American region, stumbled through the last months of qualifying and had a close playoff against Costa Rica. They are both highly talented and highly flawed. Mexico is only one of those things.
France - There are only four nations in the world that clearly have more talent than Les Blues, which makes the tragedy of their current state so poignant. They failed to win their group in Europe, struggled in their qualifying playoff, and were thought so little of by FIFA that the governing body adopted a new formula for the draw that would preclude France from being seeded. Many analysts thought France was the nation to avoid out of the fourth pod, but given the French players may look at avoiding the embarrassment of missing the finals as their main goal, Mexico is the group's best team.
Mexico has no excuse for not getting out of this group, but for Mexico, the second round is par-for-the-course. The nation has made it to the Round of 16 in four straight finals, and their South African path to the second round may be their easiest trip yet.
Comments
Don't consider their trip to stage 2 so easy. Mexico has a horrible record against Uruguay and they don't stand a chance against France. Their only real clear win could be against South Africa, but even that game poses a threat as it is the opening game against the host.
I don't think people understand the potential of Mexico and their young players. If they arrive in form, they will be a fearsome team for anybody to handle. They probably have the best national team ever, and the scary thing is, they blew everybody away in the last 6 games of qualifying, and wherent even playing at 60% of their capability.
"horrible record against Uruguay" what are you talking about? Uruguay has never beat Mexico in a FIFA tournament. learn a little football history before you comment.
Surely France and South Africa will be the ones to advance, not on their merits though. Money is the best player on any WC competition, and tends to play for any team that "matters". Would FIFA like S.A out of contention? The crowds would not materialize if the host nation looses. Bye Uruguay, my heart is with you, but fortunately I'm still able to reason!!
Adriana: Mexico actually has a good record against uruguay. 7 wins 3 loses and 7 ties. That aint horrible like you said. I agree that Mexico does not have it easy at all.
Eeeer.. The only time Mexico played Uruguay on a WC ended on a tie...Im gonna go with History on this one:Uruguays history is in black and white, but hey, at lest they have a history to show.
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