In the event you stood on the far facet of State Farm Stadium, near the part of the sector vibrant with the inexperienced and crimson of Mexico’s jerseys, you possibly can mistake the 0-0 draw that eradicated them from the Copa America group stage for a funeral. A morbid silence washed over the 63,000-strong supporters’ part. They wordlessly watched Ecuador collapse with exhaustion and reduction whereas supervisor Jaime Lozano stormed down the tunnel. They noticed star striker and way forward for the nationwide staff Santi Gimenez wander aimlessly all through the sector, clearly disconnected from the build-up.
Most significantly, they noticed arguably their most gifted squad in a long time come up brief when it mattered most. Once more. Disappointment and a faint sense of mourning exuded from the stadium.
But once more, Mexico has crashed out of an essential match after years of restructuring and rebuilding. Sluggish to adapt, uninteresting in assault, and totally outplayed towards Ecuador and Venezuela, Mexico is miles away from the place it must be for 2026. It’s suffered from an absence of id, a refusal to regulate each on and off the sector, and conflicts between officers, gamers, and followers are rampant. Mexico has been wandering with out motive, caught in an infinite swath of mediocrity for many years. Their 0-0 draw to Ecuador was solely the most recent disappointment. Their issues minimize deep.
Wave of mediocrity begins in 2010
In the event you’re trying to find any type of clarification for Mexico’s early exit in 2024, the solutions go way back to 2010. 2010 World Cup
2011 noticed a Mexican facet made up of U22 gamers dismantled on the Copa América 2011. They scored only one purpose within the match, dropping all three video games to complete with a complete of zero factors. Mexico didn’t take the Copa América severely, and it confirmed. They have been outclassed in all three of their group stage video games, and their finest gamers have been resting after successful the 2011 Gold Cup.
2014 noticed
Mexico rested most of its stars — Carlos Vela and Javier Hernández, for instance — for the Gold Cup throughout Copa América 2015. They solely took two factors in three matches, totally outclassed by their extra gifted South American counterparts.
“You need to settle for the failure,” Mexico supervisor Miguel Herrera stated. “We didn’t perceive the magnitude of the occasion we have been taking part in in. We lacked vitality, sticking our nostril in there.”
World Cup 2010: spherical of 16. Copa América 2011: group stage with out factors (it was with a bolstered sub 22).World Cup 2014: spherical of 16. Copa América 2015: eradicated within the group stage (final within the group). Copa América 2016: eradicated within the quarterfinals dropping 7-0 towards Chile. World Cup 2018: spherical of 16. World Cup 2022: eradicated within the group stage. Copa América 2024: eradicated within the group stage.
Mexico began sturdy on the Copa América Centenario, the place Mexico emerged first place in a troublesome group with Venezuela, Uruguay, and Jamaica. Nonetheless, the reigning CONCACAF champions have been humbled with their notorious 7-0 loss to Chile, displaying their standing in world soccer. It began a deep decline as Mexico’s expertise pool turned extra shallow and the FA suffered disagreements about participant alternatives.
World Cup 2022 confirmed extra disappointment as Mexico suffered its first group stage exit on the World Cup since 1978. They regarded uninspired in all three of its video games, a 0-0 draw to Poland, a 2-0 loss to Argentina, and a 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia. Supervisor Tata Martino confronted questions concerning the squad record, notably after excluding a number of up-and-coming attackers and leaning on getting older veterans. It got here again to hang-out them — when Mexico desperately wanted an offensive burst towards Saudi Arabia, they struggled to supply.
Copa América 2024 has proven extra of the identical from 2022. Mexico nonetheless seems to be inefficient regardless of transferring on from Tata, whereas they nonetheless haven’t discovered a great way to attach with star striker Giménez. Gimenez, who knocked in 26 targets for Feyenoord final season, hasn’t scored in over a yr for Mexico. They’ve regarded stale almost all match, and regardless of the promise and high quality Mexico’s participant pool presents, the identical roots have struggled each Lozano and this underperforming Mexico facet.
Undertaking 2026 fading for Mexico
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