Mexico's Missteps in Major Tournaments: A Deep Dive
Yet again, Mexico's national football team finds itself at a familiar crossroads. Bowing out of the 2022 World Cup at the group stage, the team’s continued struggles in major tournaments have left fans disheartened and searching for answers.
The frustration isn’t confined to the World Cup alone. Over the past year and a half, Mexico’s performances in the Concacaf Nations League have been far from inspiring. Despite their undoubted talent, the team has failed to translate potential into success on the pitch. Among these setbacks, however, was a glimmer of hope. Jaime Lozano, initially brought in as an interim coach, secured his position full-time after leading Mexico to victory in the Concacaf Gold Cup, a win that momentarily lifted the spirits of the team and its supporters.
But, as the journey through Copa America unfolded, Mexico's vulnerabilities were once again exposed. Needing a win against Ecuador to advance to the quarterfinals, Mexico managed to dominate possession and create numerous chances, yet they came up short. Despite holding nearly 60% of the ball and outshooting Ecuador 19-9, the match ended in disappointment. The first shot on target arrived only in the 65th minute after an intense spell of 13 attempts.
Statistical analysis of that decisive match against Ecuador reveals more about where things went wrong. Generating just 0.86 expected goals highlights the inefficiency in front of the goal, a recurrent problem throughout the tournament. Over the span of their three Copa America games, Mexico registered an expected goals tally of 4.71 but only found the net once. On the defensive side, they conceded just one goal, indicating issues lie more with the attack rather than the defense.
Compounding Mexico’s attacking woes is the lack of a prolific goalscorer. No player on the current squad has more than 13 international goals, underscoring the need for a reliable forward to convert chances into goals. Santiago Gimenez, who had a stellar season with Feyenoord by netting 26 goals and providing eight assists in Europe, has struggled to replicate that form on the international stage, managing just four goals in 30 appearances for Mexico.
Looking ahead, the stakes are set to rise even higher. In two years, Mexico will co-host the World Cup, raising fan expectations and scrutiny. The pressure to perform on home soil will be immense, but it also presents an opportunity for a significant turnaround. The team’s ability to rise to the occasion and deliver will be under watchful eyes, nationwide and globally.
As Jaime Lozano and his squad gear up for future challenges, they need to address the evident issues in their gameplay. Ensuring that dominance in possession translates into clinical finishing and converting chances will be vital. The work ahead is cut out: forging a cohesive unit capable of competing and succeeding at the highest levels.
The journey is undoubtedly difficult, but in football, redemption is always just a game away. For Mexico, the upcoming years will be about rewriting a narrative marred by near-misses and hard-luck stories. The emphasis will be on transforming potential into performance, anticipation into achievement, and hope into history. The world will be watching.