Mexico National Team

As temperatures drop below freezing and blizzard warnings grip the Midwest, it feels as though winter has been here forever and shows no sign of abating. So it’s with an envious eye that we follow the 2017 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship in the Bahamas. 

The tournament, contested by 16 nations from February 20-26, will crown the region’s champion and decide which two teams will qualify for the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. On Friday, the quarterfinals will be contested and it looks like everyone is having a helluva time.

These February friendlies are always a bit of a wild card. Diluted squads, unusual locations and the determination not to get injured can often lend to a less than desirable match. Even with these issues, as a professional player, every time you put on that national team jersey, it’s an opportunity. With both teams fielding squads of mostly fringe players, El Tri were the only side to seize the chance and turn up in a one-sided affair.

Mexico manager Juan Carlos Osorio has named his 23-man squad for El Tri’s February 8 friendly against Iceland in Las Vegas, Nevada. As the match does not fall on an official FIFA international date (meaning European clubs do not have to release their players for national team duty), the squad is primarily Mexico-based, apart from the LA Galaxy’s Giovani dos Santos.

You know about the wall, right? The big border wall between the USA and Mexico that our president wants built because reasons and reportedly might pay for by driving the prices up on everything imported from Mexico?

Yeah, that wall. Mexico captain Rafa Marquez is not impressed with the wall.

Of course you remember Jesus "Tecatito" Corona's goal against Venezuela in the Copa America Centenario. It was incredible. He looked so much like Messi we had to blink a few times to make sure they hadn't switched jerseys.

Here is is, in all its glory:

This goal was (correctly) named the CONCACAF Goal of the Year. Now that you have this information, watch it again.

The biennial CONCACAF Gold Cup returns in 2017, and the continental governing body for the region has announced that the tournament, which runs from July 7-26, will be played out in 13 cities across the United States.

The 14th edition of the tournament will be contested by 12 teams, beginning with the group stage in early July. Of the three groups, we now know that Group B will be headlined by the United States and Group C will have Mexico.

The 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, the tune-up tournament for the main event that will follow in 2018, draw took place this morning in Kazan, Russia. The tournament will be held this summer, running from June 17 to July 2, throughout Russia, and we now know the makeup of the two groups at the competition.

Group A features the hosts, Russia, along with the winners of Euro 2016, Portugal. Also in the group are the winners of the 2015 CONCACAF Cup playoff match, Mexico, and New Zealand, the winners of the 2016 OFC Nations Cup Final. 

Rafa Marquez, in his 13th appearance against the United States, Rafa Marquez, the scorn of American soccer dating back to to his mid-air head butt on Cobi Jones at the 2002 World Cup, Rafa Marquez, the captain on his international swan song, Rafa Marquez. That's all you need to know: Rafa Marquez.

Mexico took the lead against the United States in the first half, but Jozy Alitdore and Bobby Wood simply weren’t having it. A clear goal scoring chance was crafted out of nothing, Jozy Altidore turning his marker with all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop and sending Wood through on goal.

Wood did much of the same, simply disregarding the attentions of the Mexican defense to fire past Alfredo Talavera and equalize for the United States.

Kick off in Columbus, Ohio was greeted with resounding chants of “Dos a Cero!” from the pro-American crowd. However, the jinx has been resoundingly ended by Miguel Layun, and Mexico are desperately unlucky not to have a couple more.