Mexico Soccer Team: 2017 Schedule And Players To Watch In The Year Ahead

After the most debilitating of roadblocks in the middle, the year ended for Mexico’s national team with enough positivity to provide optimism once again heading into 2017. A massive 2-1 win in Columbus, Ohio over the United States, ending a run of four straight defeats to its fiercest rival, together with a valuable point in Panama, has given El Tri a strong start to its efforts to make it through the final round of Concacaf World Cup qualifying.

And yet coach Juan Carlos Osorio will know that it is still the sole defeat his team suffered that is likely to be remembered above all other results in 2016. Such was the humiliation of Mexico’s 7-0 defeat to Chile in the quarterfinals of the Copa America Centenario that the Colombian will need to achieve something special for its shadow to be removed from his reign.

He has already done more than seemed likely at the time of that defeat simply by surviving to see out his full year in charge. Given that Mexico went through four coaches in its stumbling efforts to make it to the last World Cup in Brazil, that is no small feat.

With three of its next four qualifiers at home, Mexico now has a great opportunity to all-but secure its place in Russia in 2018 before it visits the country for the Confederations Cup next summer. Qualifying will restart in March with a home game against Costa Rica followed by a trip to take on a Trinidad and Tobago team that has failed to take a single point from its opening two matches.

In June, Osorio’s men will then welcome two of its rivals for the three automatic qualifying spots, Honduras and the U.S., to the famed Estadio Azteca. Mexico already looks unlikely to suffer the same turmoil as it did when it needed a dramatic favor from the U.S. and a playoff against New Zealand to make it to the last World Cup.

But the Confederations Cup will also be key for El Tri and Osorio. After horribly failing his one major test thus far against a major nation outside of Concacaf, there will be much scrutiny on the team’s performances in Russia. Drawn into a group with surprise European champion Portugal, struggling host Russia and New Zealand, Mexico should at least be eyeing a semifinal place.

Based on his selections in 2016, it seems highly probable that Osorio will also continue to rotate both players and formations in the year ahead. Nonetheless, there are certain players who could make major impacts.

Hirving Lozano began 2016 suggesting that this would be his big breakthrough year. Some poor showings and a red card at the Olympics provided a knock to his national team prospects, but his record for Pachuca in the recent Apertura showed that the 21-year-old forward remains a key player for Mexico going forward.

Also shining in Liga MX was 19-year-old Monterrey defender César Montes. After featuring at the Olympics, he now looks likely to make his senior bow when Mexico takes on Iceland in a friendly in February.

A couple of experienced faces could also become pivotal figures in 2017. Carlos Vela has returned to form this season with Real Sociedad and was chosen to start the all-important game against the United States in November. After a stop-start national-team career, including a two-year hiatus, one of Mexico’s most gifted players could be set to finally show his talent on a consistent basis for his country.

Another player performing at a high level in Europe is Marco Fabián. The former Chivas midfielder is a regular for an Eintracht Frankfurt side that is currently sitting fourth in the Bundesliga. And, having been brought back into the national team picture by Osorio, the 27-year-old should have an opportunity to at long last nail down a regular role.

Mexico 2017 Schedule
Feb. 8: vs. Iceland (Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas)
March 24: vs. Costa Rica (Estadio Azteca, Mexico City)
March 28: at Trinidad and Tobago (Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain)
June 7: vs. Honduras (Estadio Azteca, Mexico City)
June 11: vs. USA (Estadio Azteca, Mexico City)
June 18: vs. Portugal (Kazan Arena, Kazan)
June 21: vs. New Zealand (Fisht Stadium, Sochi)
June 24: vs. Russia (Kazan Arena, Kazan)
Sept. 1: vs. Panama (Estadio Azteca, Mexico City)
Sept. 5: at Costa Rica (Estadio Nacional, San José)
Oct. 6: vs. Trinidad and Tobago (Estadio Azteca, Mexico City)
Oct. 10: at Honduras (Venue to be confirmed)