Mexico on Ecuador: ‘We’re good enough to reach the Final’ | OneFootball

The mentality around Mexico’s national team has changed. Gone are the days when simply reaching the infamous “fifth game” was considered success. Inside the dressing room, the ambition is much bigger: reaching the FIFA World Cup Final.

Mexico will face Ecuador on Tuesday in the Round of 32, their first do-or-die match of the tournament. On paper, Ecuador is arguably the toughest opponent El Tri could have drawn, considering Scotland and Cape Verde were also among the possible matchups.

History isn’t exactly on Mexico’s side either. The last—and only—time El Tri won a World Cup knockout match came in 1986, when they defeated Bulgaria 2-0. Forty years have passed since that historic victory.

Still, after cruising through the group stage with a perfect three-win record, this Mexican squad insists that merely ending that drought isn’t enough.

“We’re going to take it one game at a time, but if you’re asking me, we’re good enough to reach the Final and be there,” Obed Vargas said Monday at Mexico’s High Performance Center following the team’s final training session before facing Ecuador.

“We have to trust what we’ve been doing, stay calm knowing we’re preparing in the best possible way, and believe in ourselves. We’re a family here, we all support each other, and I think that’s enough.”

Armando González echoed the same message. The Chivas striker made it clear that Ecuador does nothing to alter Mexico’s ambitions.

“The opponent doesn’t change our objective. To achieve what we want, eventually we’ll have to play the best teams anyway, so who we’re facing doesn’t change anything,” said “La Hormiga.”

“Of course that’s the goal (reaching the Final). No one inside this team doubts that we can achieve it.”

Ecuador arrives full of confidence

Sebastián Beccacece’s side is enjoying arguably the best World Cup run in the country’s history. During the group stage, they stunned Germany, a result many consider Ecuador’s greatest World Cup victory ever.

If they eliminate Mexico, Ecuador would produce the best World Cup finish in the nation’s history.

Inside Mexico’s camp, however, Ecuador’s rise isn’t changing the team’s expectations.

Mexico is even preparing for penalties

Jesús Gallardo is expected to return to the starting lineup after sitting out the victory over Czechia. He revealed Mexico has thoroughly studied Ecuador while also preparing for the possibility of a penalty shootout.

“The team is calm and motivated. We want to put together a great performance, both for ourselves and for our fans, and we’re going to try to win.”

“We believe the first thing is to play at one hundred percent throughout the entire match. If the game goes to penalties, we have players who are prepared to take that responsibility.”

Gallardo also dismissed the idea that Mexico is relying on Mexico City’s altitude to gain an advantage.

“We know altitude can be difficult for some opponents, but that’s not our focus. We’re focused on playing a good match and carrying out what El Vasco asks of us.”

Altitude could still play a role

Ecuador attempted to move up its arrival in Mexico City in hopes of gaining additional time to adapt to the city’s 2,240-meter (7,350-foot) elevation, but the request was denied. Instead, the South Americans will arrive only 24 hours before kickoff.

In elite sports, scientists generally recommend two strategies for competing at high altitude: either spending at least two weeks acclimatizing or using the “arrive late, compete early” approach by arriving as close to kickoff as possible before the body begins to experience the effects of reduced oxygen levels.

Ecuador had little choice but to adopt the latter strategy, although several players in its squad currently play in Liga MX and are already familiar with the conditions in Mexico City.

Beyond the altitude, Mexico is also expected to enjoy the backing of more than 80,000 fans inside Estadio Ciudad de México.

Aguirre: “We’ll have to play a nearly perfect game”

Head coach Javier Aguirre also praised Ecuador’s growth while refusing to label either side as the favorite.

“It’s difficult to say whether there’s a favorite or not. These are very evenly matched games, and I think tomorrow’s will be as well. According to the World Cup statistics, it’s a team that allows you to play very little in your own half; they recover a lot of balls in that area, making them one of the best among the 48 participating teams.

“They create a lot of one-on-one situations, they’re a very intense and courageous team, just like their coach. I have nothing more to say—we’ll have to play a nearly perfect game if we want to stay in the competition.”

Aguirre also praised how far Ecuadorian soccer has come over the past few decades.

“It’s a team with many players competing outside their domestic league, outside Ecuador, with footballers who have tremendous market value. They’re an opponent that deserves a great deal of respect—at least they have mine. They have a great coach. I’ve known Beccacece since Spain; we faced each other there and later again in Guadalajara. He always prepares his teams very well, so it’ll be a great challenge.

“Ecuador deserves congratulations because they’ve grown tremendously over the past few decades.”

The veteran manager also admitted the disappointments he experienced in previous World Cups helped shape him.

“I lived through difficult moments, both personally and professionally, and I certainly made mistakes in both aspects. However, those experiences also helped me grow and learn. The biggest difference now, without question, is that we’re playing at home. Knowing an entire country is behind us motivates us enormously. All of us—and myself included—are extremely excited about what’s ahead and about the challenge in front of us.”

The winner of Mexico vs. Ecuador will return to Estadio Ciudad de México on Sunday to face the winner of England vs. Congo in the Round of 16.

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