Mexico's national football team has faced a tumultuous period as they exited yet another major tournament at the group stage. This time, it was the 2022 World Cup where they failed to progress beyond the initial rounds, a disappointment that weighed heavily on both the team and its supporters.
Over the past year and a half, Mexico's performances in the Concacaf Nations League have been equally underwhelming, with no standout results to bolster the team's confidence. However, a ray of hope emerged when Jaime Lozano, who was initially brought in as an interim coach, guided the team to victory in the Concacaf Gold Cup, eventually securing himself a full-time coaching position.
Copa America Heartbreak
The recent Copa America was another test for Lozano’s squad, where Mexico found themselves needing a victory against Ecuador to secure a spot in the quarterfinals. Despite dominating possession and creating a multitude of chances, the team fell short. Mexico controlled nearly 60% of the ball and had 19 shots compared to Ecuador's nine. It took them 13 shots to finally get one on target in the 65th minute, illustrating their struggles in converting opportunities.
In terms of expected goals, or xG—a metric used to determine the quality of chances created—Mexico generated just 0.86 expected goals in their final match against Ecuador. Over the course of their three Copa America games, they had an expected goals total of 4.71 but managed to score only a single goal, highlighting inefficiencies in their finishing. On the bright side, their defense conceded just one goal during the group stage, showing some resilience at the back.
Scoring Concerns
The lack of a prolific scorer has been a persistent issue for Mexico. No player on the current squad has more than 13 international goals, underscoring the team's struggle to find a reliable source of goals. Santiago Gimenez, who had an extraordinary season with Feyenoord, netting 26 goals and providing eight assists, has not been able to replicate his club form on the international stage, scoring just four times in 30 appearances for the national team.
As Mexico gears up to host the World Cup in two years, fan expectations are soaring. The scrutiny on Lozano and his squad is only increasing as they must find a way to align high possession stats and a strong defensive record with clinical finishing and consistent results.
The clock is ticking for Mexico to address these vulnerabilities. Whether Jaime Lozano can engineer a transformation that translates their control of the game into tangible victories remains a high-stakes question for a nation brimming with World Cup aspirations.