Mexico national team action in 2025 begins with a friendly match in Brazil against two time Copa Libertadores winners, Internacional.
The trip to South America will also include a friendly against River Plate. The idea is for this tour to help young up and coming Liga MX players to get their first taste of senior national team soccer, with eyes on earning a call to the 2026 FIFA World Cup or why not, even sooner, for the Concacaf Nations League semifinals vs. Canada on Mar. 20.
Three players have already withdrawn from the squad and it just so happens to be some of the most experienced players that were initially contemplated. Luis Romo, Jesús Orozco Chiquete and Jesús Angulo won't make the trip south, instead staying with their respective Liga MX teams to prepare for Matchweek 2 of the season.
Javier Aguirre will have even fewer options to chose from to build a lineup that can get the job done in front of a reported 40 thousand fans at the Arena Beira-Rio. Jesus Gallardo, by far the most experienced remaining player on the roster, will likely play both games given he's the only natural left-back that made the trip.
New faces will be all over the lineup for both games, with Aguirre hoping the unfamiliar names become regulars over the next 18 months.
Here's how El Tri could lineup vs. Internacional on Thursday, Jan. 16.
