A 45-Day Headache — Mexico’s World Cup Plan Is Already Backfiring | OneFootball

What was supposed to be a well-structured plan has quickly turned into a mess for the Mexican National Team and Javier Aguirre.

Just days ago, it was widely expected that Mexico’s Liga MX–based players heading to the World Cup would be unveiled on Monday, April 27. The idea? Call them up early, bring them together by May 6, and build chemistry well ahead of the tournament. Sounds smart—until you realize the cost: playoff teams would be forced to compete in the Liguilla without some of their best players.

Yes, this was Aguirre’s idea. And yes, it was approved by the Federación Mexicana de Futbol and club owners. Still, the logic raises eyebrows. Why pull players out of the most competitive stage of the domestic season only to have them sit around for over a month before the World Cup? Match fitness isn’t built in training camps and friendly matches alone—it comes from high-stakes games.

Take Chivas, for example. A team expected to form the backbone of El Tri could lose five or six key players right before the playoffs. That’s not squad management… it’s self-sabotage.

From Questionable to Chaotic

Recently, Duilio Davino, Mexico’s national teams director, publicly stated that any Liga MX player called up for the May 6 camp would be guaranteed a spot in the final 26-man World Cup squad. No surprises. No last-minute cuts. And no “thanks for coming, but you’re out.”

In other words: once you’re in, you’re in.

That declaration has now become a major problem. Because Aguirre didn’t submit the roster on Monday as planned. Why? Because he’s now boxed into a corner. Whoever he calls up, he’s stuck with—no take-backs, no adjustments, no room for error.

Forty-five days before the World Cup… and the coach can’t finalize his list.

Brilliant.

The original plan also includes three friendlies against Ghana, Australia, and Serbia to fine-tune the squad. Instead, it now feels like those matches might be damage control rather than preparation.

The Roster’s Current State

And the roster itself? It’s already shaping up with notable absences. Carlos Rodríguez and Marcel Ruiz are both expected to miss out—despite Ruiz reportedly delaying surgery on a partially torn ACL just to keep his World Cup hopes alive. Neither made it. Tough luck.

Add Germán Berterame to that list as well.

Up front, the Mexico’s striker pool seems limited to Raúl Jiménez, Santiago Giménez, and Armando González, with a late push from Guillermo Martínez possibly sneaking him into the final squad.

Meanwhile, Everardo López is practically out of the picture, and Jesús Angulo is also expected to be left off.

In defense, the likely replacement? Eduardo Águila, stepping in as the backup left-sided center back.

Here’s the projected Liga MX call-up list expected to drop Tuesday:

What Went Wrong?

Two things, mainly:

The irony is almost poetic. A plan designed to improve preparation has instead created uncertainty, pressure, and a lack of options.

At this point, the obvious solution feels painfully simple: let players finish the Liguilla, call them up afterward, and build from there. Start camp on May 6 with eliminated players, then gradually integrate the rest as their clubs exit the playoffs.

But no—Mexico chose the complicated route. And now, they’re stuck with it.

What was meant to be a strategic masterstroke is starting to look like one of the most avoidable blunders in recent national team history.

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