With seven months and just two international breaks to go until the World Cup, the question facing many of the world’s national teams is what the best use of their limited time on the clock is. For Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre, the answer is a simple one — vet as much inexperienced talent as possible before the big event on home soil next summer.
Aguirre has called in 15 players with fewer than 20 caps for this month’s friendlies against Uruguay and Paraguay, two teams who have already qualified for the World Cup. Saturday’s clash with Uruguay, an opponent ranked inside FIFA’s top 30 with hopes of a deep run, will mark the stiffest test for a youth-focused group and the veterans alike. The fixture also presents El Tri with a sizable challenge with just four games on the calendar before the summer – can they gel before the eyes of the world are on them for the opening game of the World Cup in Mexico City oh June 11?
Mexico have not won a single game since lifting the Concacaf Gold Cup in July, the downslide partly a natural consequence of Aguirre’s experimentation, understandable for friendly matches. El Tri have only scored three times in four games, though, and last month’s 4-0 loss to Colombia may still sting. El Tri can still count on Raul Jimenez for goals but he is the only player to appear on any Mexico roster in the last year that boasts 20 or more international goals. Hirving Lozano and Orbelin Pineda each have 10-plus goals but that is really about it for the team’s regular goalscorers, though German Berterame and Armando Gonzalez – two forwards with five or fewer caps – will have a chance to impress.
How to watch Mexico vs. Uruguay, odds
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 15 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadio Corona — Torreon, Mexico
- TV: TUDN | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
- Odds: Mexico +175; Draw +220; Uruguay +195
El Tri’s most promising newcomer just might be Odeb Vargas, though, the Seattle Sounders’ central midfielder. Vargas is one of two players who cracked Aguirre’s roster after taking part in the U-20 World Cup, where they reached the quarterfinals before a 2-0 defeat to eventual finalists Argentina. The 20-year-old Vargas is easily one of MLS’ most promising prospects, topping this year’s 22 Under 22 list, the Alaska native rising up the ranks of the United States’ youth systems before choosing to represent his father’s birth nation. Goalscoring is not naturally one of his priorities but Vargas has a well-rounded, to the point that he has six goals and six assists in 40 matches across all competitions this season.
Mexico’s faithful will undoubtedly be eager to see if Vargas can translate his reliability in MLS and at the youth levels to the senior national team a year after his first and only cap to date, especially with the World Cup right around the corner. Vargas is perhaps more of a pick fro the next World Cup cycle than this one but a game against Uruguay – who themselves boast a strong midfield and conceded just 12 goals in 18 qualification matches – will be an important test for his development, no matter how big a part he plays at next summer’s tournament on home soil. His stock is clearly on the rise, though, and has been for a little while
“At this point,” Sounders general manager and chief soccer officer Craig Waibel said in the spring, “what I’d say is I don’t know if there’s a club in the world that doesn’t know who he is.”
