We’ve suspected as much since late October, but Mexico has finally unveiled former Atlanta United manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino as boss. Martino is fresh off being named the 2018 MLS Coach of the Year after guiding Atlanta to the MLS Cup in only its second year of existence.
Martino’s club experience also includes stints in charge of Newell’s Old Boys and Barcelona, while at the international level he’s previously managed Paraguay and Argentina.
The Liga MX 2019 Clausura season kicked off Friday, 19 days after Club América claimed its historic 13th league title in the Apertura competition. The opening night of play featured Cruz Azul — the beaten Apertura finalists — settling for a draw against Puebla, but how about this strike from La Maquina talisman Elias Hernandez.
It’s no secret that 18-year-old Mexican phenom Diego Lainez has played his last match for Club América (going out with a bang as the Apertura 2018 champion). With two El Tri appearances to his name, Lainez only further boosted his market value with two goals during América’s semifinal victory over Pumas, and it looks as though Dutch giants Ajax are about to meet the Mexican club’s valuation of the precocious winger.
While many soccer fans in Mexico will be paying attention to the Liga MX playoffs, which begin Wednesday night, or Tecatito becoming the first Mexican to score in three straight Champions League matches, the biggest news out of Mexican football this week comes not from Mexico or Europe but from Uruguay, where the U-17 Women's World Cup is reaching its climax.
Tuesday night’s friendly match between Argentina and Mexico was a fittingly strange closing to a strange year for both nations: Mauro Icardi scored his first international goal at the eighth time of asking, and Paulo Dybala also opened his account in his 18th appearance.
Guillermo Ochoa was awarded the Silver Glove at the 2018 World Cup, but it seems never really has gotten his due as one of the world's best goalies. A serially underrated goalkeeper (he probably should’ve won the Gold Glove), Ochoa is still making incredible saves more than 13 years after this Mexico national team debut.
According to Univision, Gerardo “Tata” Martino is set to become Mexico’s manager on a four-year, $8.8 million contract directly following Atlanta United’s playoff run.
After reportedly rejecting offers of a contract extension at Porto (it’s set to expire this summer), Mexico international Hector Herrera has been linked with a move to Arsenal, Tottenham, Real Madrid and AS Roma. The World Cup standout again demonstrated his immense quality — and only increased the speculation — with a commanding display in today’s 4-1 Champions League victory over Lokomotiv Moscow.
The October 2018 FIFA rankings were released Thursday and France is no longer the best team in the world — at least when it comes to arbitrary numerical rankings.
Belgium, which was tied with France at No. 1 in September, moved into sole position atop the October 2018 FIFA rankings. Brazil follows France in third while Croatia and England, which jumped over Uruguay, round out the top five.
Porto climbed to the top of UEFA Champions League Group D with an impressive 3-1 win in Moscow against Lokomotiv on Wednesday, and the Mexican duo of Handsome Hector Herrera and Jesús “Tecatito” Corona played a large part in the win.
The Handsome One scored Porto’s second with Tecatito supplying the assist in the 35th minute.
Hector Herrera doubles Porto's lead