World Cup 2006: Mexico, not just a hat dance

By Charly
May 23 2006

The North American side, commanded by the controversial Argentinean coach Ricardo La Volpe, comes to Germany as a group leader, and they are ready to confirm they are no underdogs. Having formed a versatile and tough squad, Mexico is looking strong and willing to be a threat to the big teams.

When Ricardo La Volpe was appointed, there was much controversy and skepticism, especially coming from opposing fans and professionals. Hugo Sánchez, the Mexican hero and challenger to take the seat, spent several months trying to put pressure on the coach and FA and to create disruption and force changes.

Also, popular unrest made itself present with a shout when local hero Cuauhtémoc Blanco was denied a place in the squad. But La Volpe stood strong and remained confident on his beliefs and methods, and as his team beat Congo in the last match in Mexico before leaving for Europe, a huge, loud and cheerful crowd of fans made it cleat that they were 100% behind the team.

The Mexican league has been getting stronger by the years and not only they provide more and more players to the European leagues, but also thanks to good managements and the adequate market exploitation, the league has improved in wealth and is starting to tempt the South American talents just as much as Europe. Even if they will never be able to truly compete with the European aces, the local league is getting tough and demanding enough to bring out good players, capable of forming might national teams.

This time, La Volpe forged this team with his commanding personality and will clearly have the identity desired by the manager: a balanced team always looking for the win, ready to face any rivals, willing to set the pace of the match, attack efficiently and be always in control. Now, it may sound like a bit too much, almost impossible for some, but La Volpe is determined to make his team be one of the main characters in Germany. Hard work is what is first needed, and there’s been plenty of it so far, and much more to go. Little by little, the team has been taking the desired shape, and of course the usual problems arose when immediate results failed to appear, the typical mistakes and failures anyone is entitled to have when trying to learn and adapt to a new big project.

Mexico is not working on a particular style and system of their own, like the South American sides for example, they are working on several different systems involving defending with a line of 4 men, another one of 3 men with 2 wing backs ready to complete a line of 5, or become part of a crowded midfield. The same with midfield and attack, the team could take up almost any system ranging from 5-3-2 to 3-4-3 including 4-4-2 with 2 defensive midfielders or just one with a playmaker behind the strikers. This amazing versatility, reflected on the squad’s choice of many different styles of players, responds to the ideology of being prepared to face any rival. The technical staff has been studying Mexico’s rivals in depth and the aim is to configure the team according to the rival, in order to be able to fully exploit its weaknesses as well as neutralizing its threats. In La Volpe’s words, it is likely to see “the switching of two or three players from one match to the other”.

It is a huge gamble though; the making of such machine is a risky enterprise, as indicated by critics of La Volpe. Whether there will enough time for the team to assemble all its parts well and function loosely with order and organization only the technical staff knows, but should they fall short of time, big defensive gaps and mistakes will take over the team, product of disorder and lack of ideas due to not being able to acquire so much information, and defeats could be unavoidable, just like they were during the preparations.

Should they start the tournament at the peak of their form, they will be a side to fear. But, as La Volpe claims, his main weapons are the individuals in the squad. For instance, though many people haven’t seen them, the three goalkeepers are of a class much higher than people think; in Rafael Márquez, Jared Borghetti and Guillermo Franco they have European class and experience; there is a healthy combination of youth and experience; the five forwards are very dangerous, combining aerial prowess and pace and skill; etc.

The squad is:

Goalkeepers: Oswaldo Sánchez, Jesús Corona, Guillermo Ochoa

Defenders: Rafael Márquez, Claudio Suárez, Francisco Rodríguez, José Antonio Castro, Mario Méndez, Ricardo Osorio, Carlos Salcido, Gonzalo Pineda

Midfielders: José Guardado, Antonio Naelson, Luis Pérez, Pável Pardo, Gerardo Torrado, José García, Ramón Morales

Forwards: Guillermo Franco, Jared Borgetti, Francisco Fonseca, José Arellano, Omar Bravo


For conspiracy theory lovers

Mexico might have a better-than-expected World Cup by receiving some extra “help” from invisible hands. Considering that the last World Cup the help was received by the hosts Japan and Korea either by getting easy groups or having referees whistling nonsense in favour of them, it is arguable that the reason for this was to open the doors of this new amazingly big market the Japanese and Korean are for football economics, and the best way of doing so was allowing their teams to have a World Cup beyond expectations.

In this case, Mexico, as well as the USA, may find themselves in the position of the privileged. The Major League Soccer is growing, and though it will never receive as much attention as basketball, American football, baseball or ice hockey, the commercial culture of the US is always a promise of good business. Mexico, who do have football as the main sport and culture, have had an amazing growth related to the economic power of the teams, that are now able to compete with Europe regarding wages and transfer fees. This too, thanks to the success of marketing and merchandise of football items.

It may seem that the World Cup in Germany has very little to do with North America, but the key words are these: television rights. North America will receive the matches at a perfect time of the day, rating is expected to be the highest in the world, and considering that the public does have the economic power to boost the market that North America has become, companies have been going insane trying to advertise their products in TV. The rights’ price tag has increased a lot more than in any other part of the world, not to speak about the price of the advertising minute, etc.

So there you go, the short version of why this World Cup could be like the last one. Remember, if something goes wrong and it’s not your team’s fault, thin of how this may be related to Mexico and USA and blame the FIFA’s craze for money, look for information on television rights, explain this theory and curse the world for being so selfish and power-crazy.

If none of this happens, then enjoy the World Cup.

Join us for the world cup, where we aim to provide something a little different from the rest; we have writers from all over Europe and even one in South America.

We will be concentrating on the news not readily available in England, all translated and waiting to debate.

So join us for the greatest tournament in the world, with a healthy dose of cynicism thrown in for free.