Mexico crashes out of Copa America: 14 years of underachievement

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If you happen to stood on the far aspect of State Farm Stadium, near the part of the world vibrant with the inexperienced and pink 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 crew Santi Gimenez wander aimlessly all through the sector, clearly disconnected from the build-up.

Most significantly, they noticed arguably their most proficient squad in many years come up quick 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 vital match after years of restructuring and rebuilding. Sluggish to adapt, uninteresting in assault, and completely outplayed in opposition to Ecuador and Venezuela, Mexico is miles away from the place it must be for 2026. It’s suffered from a scarcity of identification, 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 cause, 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

If you happen to’re looking for any sort of clarification for Mexico’s early exit in 2024, the solutions go way back to 2010. 2010 World Cup

2011 noticed a Mexican aspect 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, completely outclassed by their extra proficient South American counterparts.

“It’s a must to settle for the failure,” Mexico supervisor Miguel Herrera said. “We didn’t perceive the magnitude of the occasion we have been taking part in in. We lacked power, sticking our nostril in there.”

World Cup 2010: spherical of 16.
Copa América 2011: group stage with out factors (it was with a strengthened 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 shedding 7-0 in opposition to 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 robust on the Copa América Centenario, the place Mexico emerged first place in a troublesome group with Venezuela, Uruguay, and Jamaica. Nevertheless, the reigning CONCACAF champions have been humbled with their notorious 7-0 loss to Chile, exhibiting their standing in world soccer. It began a deep decline as Mexico’s expertise pool grew to become extra shallow and the FA suffered disagreements about participant picks.

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 in regards to the squad record, significantly after excluding a number of up-and-coming attackers and leaning on growing older veterans. It got here again to hang-out them — when Mexico desperately wanted an offensive burst in opposition to 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 shifting on from Tata, whereas they nonetheless haven’t discovered a great way to attach with star striker Giménez. Gimenez, who knocked in 26 objectives 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 aspect.