Mexico national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mexico

Nicknames	El Tri El Tricolor
Association	Federación Mexicana de Fútbol (FMF)
Confederation	CONCACAF (North America)
Sub-confederation	NAFU (North America)
Head coach	Javier Aguirre
Captain	Edson Álvarez
Most caps	Andrés Guardado (180)
Top scorer	Javier Hernández (52)
Home stadium	Estadio Azteca
FIFA code	MEX
First colours Second colours Third colours
FIFA ranking
Current	17 (7 February 2019)
Highest	4 (February–June 1998, August 2003, April 2004, June 2004, May–June 2006)
Lowest	40 (July 2015)
First international
Mexico 2–1 Guatemala  (Mexico City, Mexico; 9 December 1923)
Biggest win
Mexico 13–0 Bahamas  (Toluca, Mexico; 28 April 1987)
Biggest defeat
England 8–0 Mexico  (London, England; 10 May 1961)
World Cup
Appearances	18 (first in 1930)
Best result	Quarter-finals (1970, 1986)
CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup
Appearances	26 (first in 1963)
Best result	Champions (1965, 1971, 1977, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023, 2025)
CONCACAF Nations League
Appearances	4 (first in 2019–20)
Best result	Champions (2025)
CONCACAF Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2015)
Best result	Champions (2015)
Copa América
Appearances	11 (first in 1993)
Best result	Runners-up (1993, 2001)
Confederations Cup
Appearances	7 (first in 1995)
Best result	Champions (1999)
Medal record FIFA Confederations Cup Gold 1999 Mexico Team Bronze 1995 Saudi Arabia Team CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup Gold 1965 Guatemala Team Gold 1971 Trinidad and Tobago Team Gold 1977 Mexico Team Gold 1993 Mexico and United States Team Gold 1996 United States Team Gold 1998 United States Team Gold 2003 Mexico and United States Team Gold 2009 United States Team Gold 2011 United States Team Gold 2015 Canada and United States Team Gold 2019 Costa Rica, Jamaica and United States Team Gold 2023 Canada and United States Team Gold 2025 Canada and United States Team Silver 1967 Honduras Team Silver 2007 United States Team Silver 2021 United States Team Bronze 1973 Haiti Team Bronze 1981 Honduras Team Bronze 1991 United States Team CONCACAF Nations League Gold 2025 United States Team Silver 2020 United States Team Silver 2024 United States Team Bronze 2023 United States Team CONCACAF Cup Gold 2015 United States Team Copa América Silver 1993 Ecuador Team Silver 2001 Colombia Team Bronze 1997 Bolivia Team Bronze 1999 Paraguay Team Bronze 2007 Venezuela Team Panamerican Championship Bronze 1960 Costa Rica Team NAFC Championship Gold 1947 Cuba Team Gold 1949 Mexico Team North American Nations Cup Gold 1991 United States Team Silver 1990 Canada Team Central American and Caribbean Games Gold 1935 El Salvador Team Gold 1938 Panama Team

The Mexico national football team (called El Tri or El Tricolor) represents Mexico in international men's soccer games. The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) manages the team. It joined FIFA in 1929 and was a founding member of CONCACAF in 1961. CONCACAF is the main soccer organization for North America.

Mexico has played in the FIFA World Cup eighteen times. They have qualified for every World Cup since 1994. This makes them one of only six countries to do so. They reached the quarter-finals twice, in 1970 and 1986, when they hosted the tournament. Mexico also played in the very first World Cup match in 1930.

The team has won many titles in CONCACAF, making them the most successful team in their region. They have won 15 CONCACAF titles, including 10 CONCACAF Gold Cups and one CONCACAF Nations League. Mexico also won the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup, a big global competition. This made them the only team outside Europe or South America to win a FIFA global event.

History of Mexican Football

Early Days of El Tri

Soccer in Mexico began in the early 1900s. European immigrants, especially from England and Spain, helped start the sport.

Mexico's first game was on December 9, 1923, in Mexico City. They beat Guatemala 2–1. This was the first of several friendly matches against Guatemala.

Joining the World Stage

The Mexico national team before the first ever World Cup game against France in 1930

In 1927, Mexico formed its first official soccer organization. The team then played in the 1928 Olympic Football Tournament. This was their first official international competition.

Mexico also took part in the very first 1930 FIFA World Cup in Uruguay. They played against France in the first World Cup match ever. Juan Carreño scored Mexico's first World Cup goal in that game.

World Cup Journeys and Wins

The Mexican squad in April 1952

Mexico returned to the World Cup in 1950. They were often the strongest team in North America. However, they found it tough to compete against European and South American teams early on. Goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal was the first player to play in five World Cups.

In 1965, Mexico won the 1965 CONCACAF Championship. This was their first time becoming continental champions.

Mexico vs. Argentina in Los Angeles, 1985

Mexico hosted the World Cup in 1970. They advanced to the quarter-finals but lost to Italy. They hosted again in 1986. Coached by Bora Milutinović, they reached the quarter-finals once more. They lost to West Germany in a penalty shootout.

Mexico faced a challenge when they were not allowed to play in the 1990 FIFA World Cup due to a rule violation involving player ages.

Success in the 1990s

In the 1990s, Mexican football started to achieve more international success. They finished second in the 1993 Copa América, losing to Argentina in the final. At the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico won their group. However, they lost in the round of 16 on penalty kicks.

At the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Mexico reached the round of 16 again. They lost to Germany. In 1999, Mexico won its first official FIFA tournament. They hosted and won the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup, beating Brazil 4–3 in the final.

21st Century Highlights

Early 2000s World Cups

Mexico played in the 2002 World Cup. They won their group but lost to rivals United States in the round of 16.

Mexico against Argentina at the 2006 FIFA World Cup

At the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Mexico was a seeded team. They advanced to the round of 16 but were eliminated by Argentina.

In 2009, Mexico won their fifth CONCACAF Gold Cup. They beat the United States 5–0 in the final.

2010s Tournaments

Cuauhtémoc Blanco converting his penalty kick against France at the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Mexico qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. They advanced from their group but were eliminated by Argentina in the round of 16.

In 2011, Mexico won another Gold Cup. They beat the United States 4–2 in the final. This win qualified them for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Mexico had a tough time in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. They had to win a play-off against New Zealand to qualify. They reached the round of 16 at the World Cup but lost to the Netherlands.

At the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Mexico won the trophy. They defeated Jamaica 3–1 in the final. Later that year, they won the first CONCACAF Cup by beating the United States.

In the Copa América Centenario in 2016, Mexico reached the quarter-finals. They faced Chile and lost 7–0. This was a very difficult game for the team.

Héctor Herrera and Mesut Özil (Mexico v Germany) at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Mexico started strong. They defeated defending champions Germany 1–0. They qualified for the round of 16 for the seventh time in a row. However, they lost to Brazil and did not reach the quarter-finals.

In 2019, Gerardo Martino became the new head coach. Mexico won the Gold Cup that year, beating the United States 1–0 in the final.

Recent Years: 2020s

Mexico finished second in the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League Final and the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Both times they lost to the United States.

At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Mexico was eliminated in the group stage. This was the first time since 1978 that they did not reach the knockout rounds.

In 2023, Diego Cocca became head coach. Mexico automatically qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a co-host. In the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals, Mexico lost to the United States. Later that year, Mexico won the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup, defeating Panama 1–0 in the final. Jaime Lozano was then appointed head coach.

Following an underwhelming group stage exit from the 2024 Copa América, on July 16, Lozano was dismissed from his position. Six days later, Javier Aguirre was named Mexico's new head coach for his third time. In March 2025, Mexico won its first Nations League title, beating Panama 2–1 in the final.

Home Stadium: Estadio Azteca

Azteca Stadium is the home of the Mexico national team.

The Estadio Azteca is Mexico's official home stadium. It was built in 1966 and is also known as "El Coloso de Santa Úrsula". It can hold over 87,000 fans, making it one of the largest soccer stadiums in the world. The stadium hosted the FIFA World Cup Final in 1970 and 1986. It will host the tournament again in 2026.

Mexico also plays many friendly matches in the United States. These games are part of a series called MEXTOUR. These matches are very popular with Mexican fans living in the U.S.

Team Image

Kit Colors

The Mexico national team traditionally wears green shirts, white shorts, and red socks. These colors come from the national flag of Mexico. Sometimes, they use an all-black kit. In 2017, the team's jerseys started to show Spanish names with the correct accent marks.

Kit Suppliers

Kit supplier	Period
Levi's	1978–1979
Pony	1980–1983
Adidas	1983–1990
Umbro	1991–1994
Aba Sport	1995–1998
Garcis	1999–2000
Atletica	2000–2002
Nike	2003–2006
Adidas	2007–present

Rivalries in Football

Mexico vs. United States

Mexico and the United States are the two top teams in CONCACAF. Their games are always exciting and get a lot of attention. This rivalry became very important in the late 20th century.

They played in the round of 16 at the 2002 World Cup, with the U.S. winning. In 2012, the United States beat Mexico at Estadio Azteca for the first time in 75 years. Mexico has a strong record against the U.S. at home in competitive matches.

Mexico vs. Costa Rica

Mexico also has a growing rivalry with Costa Rica. Costa Rica was the first CONCACAF country to beat Mexico on Mexican soil in a World Cup qualifier. This event is known as Aztecazo. Mexico has a very good record against Costa Rica.

Mexico vs. Argentina

Mexico has a rivalry with Argentina. Both are famous Hispanic nations. This rivalry is more important to Mexican fans. Argentina usually sees Brazil or Germany as bigger rivals. Mexico has historically struggled against Argentina.

Coaching Staff

Current head coach Javier Aguirre, in his third time leading the national team

The coaching staff helps the team prepare for games.

Position	Name
Head coach	Javier Aguirre
Assistant coach	Rafael Márquez
Assistant coach	Toni Amor
Goalkeeping coach	Joseba Ituarte
Fitness coach	Pol Lorente
Physiotherapist	Carlos Peçanha
Team doctor	José Luis Serrano

Players on the Team

Current Squad

These 26 players were chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Caps and goals are correct as of June 30, 2026, after the match against Ecuador.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Raúl Rangel	(2000-02-25) 25 February 2000 (age 26)	18	0	Guadalajara
12	1GK	Carlos Acevedo	(1996-04-19) 19 April 1996 (age 30)	7	0	Santos Laguna
13	1GK	Guillermo Ochoa	(1985-07-13) 13 July 1985 (age 41)	153	0	AEL Limassol
2	2DF	Jorge Sánchez	(1997-12-10) 10 December 1997 (age 28)	62	3	PAOK
3	2DF	César Montes (vice-captain)	(1997-02-24) 24 February 1997 (age 29)	70	4	Lokomotiv Moscow
4	2DF	Edson Álvarez (captain)	(1997-10-24) 24 October 1997 (age 28)	101	7	West Ham United
5	2DF	Johan Vásquez (third captain)	(1998-10-22) 22 October 1998 (age 27)	49	3	Genoa
15	2DF	Israel Reyes	(2000-05-23) 23 May 2000 (age 26)	38	2	América
20	2DF	Mateo Chávez	(2004-05-11) 11 May 2004 (age 22)	11	1	AZ
23	2DF	Jesús Gallardo	(1994-08-15) 15 August 1994 (age 31)	125	3	Toluca
6	3MF	Érik Lira	(2000-05-08) 8 May 2000 (age 26)	28	0	Cruz Azul
7	3MF	Luis Romo	(1995-06-05) 5 June 1995 (age 31)	66	5	Guadalajara
8	3MF	Álvaro Fidalgo	(1997-04-09) 9 April 1997 (age 29)	6	1	Betis
17	3MF	Orbelín Pineda	(1996-03-24) 24 March 1996 (age 30)	94	12	AEK Athens
18	3MF	Obed Vargas	(2005-08-05) 5 August 2005 (age 20)	9	0	Atlético Madrid
19	3MF	Gilberto Mora	(2008-10-14) 14 October 2008 (age 17)	11	0	Tijuana
24	3MF	Luis Chávez	(1996-01-15) 15 January 1996 (age 30)	46	5	Dynamo Moscow
25	3MF	Roberto Alvarado	(1998-09-07) 7 September 1998 (age 27)	71	5	Guadalajara
26	3MF	Brian Gutiérrez	(2003-06-17) 17 June 2003 (age 23)	10	2	Guadalajara
9	4FW	Raúl Jiménez	(1991-05-05) 5 May 1991 (age 35)	127	47	Wolverhampton Wanderers
10	4FW	Alexis Vega	(1997-11-25) 25 November 1997 (age 28)	53	7	Toluca
11	4FW	Santiago Giménez	(2001-04-18) 18 April 2001 (age 25)	50	6	Milan
14	4FW	Armando González	(2003-04-20) 20 April 2003 (age 23)	8	1	Guadalajara
16	4FW	Julián Quiñones	(1997-03-24) 24 March 1997 (age 29)	26	5	Al-Qadsiah
21	4FW	César Huerta	(2000-12-03) 3 December 2000 (age 25)	27	3	Anderlecht
22	4FW	Guillermo Martínez	(1995-03-15) 15 March 1995 (age 31)	13	3	Pumas UNAM

Player Records

These tables show players with the most games and most goals for Mexico.

Players in bold are still active with Mexico. Statistics are recognized by FIFA.

Most Appearances for Mexico

Andrés Guardado is the most capped player in the history of Mexico with 180 caps.

Top Goalscorers for Mexico

Javier Hernández is Mexico's all-time top scorer with 52 goals.

Competitive Records

FIFA World Cup

Mexico has a long history in the FIFA World Cup, participating many times.

FIFA World Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	F	A	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	F	A
1930	Group stage	13th	3	0	0	3	4	13	Squad		Qualified as invitees
1934	Did not qualify										4	3	0	1	14	7
1938	Withdrew										Withdrew
1950	Group stage	12th	3	0	0	3	2	10	Squad		4	4	0	0	17	2
1954		13th	2	0	0	2	2	8	Squad		4	4	0	0	19	1
1958		16th	3	0	1	2	1	8	Squad		6	5	1	0	21	3
1962		11th	3	1	0	2	3	4	Squad		8	4	3	1	18	5
1966		12th	3	0	2	1	1	3	Squad		8	6	2	0	20	4
1970	Quarter-finals	6th	4	2	1	1	6	4	Squad		Qualified as hosts
1974	Did not qualify										9	6	2	1	18	8
1978	Group stage	16th	3	0	0	3	2	12	Squad		9	6	2	1	23	6
1982	Did not qualify										9	2	5	2	14	8
1986	Quarter-finals	6th	5	3	2	0	6	2	Squad		Qualified as hosts
1990	Disqualified										Disqualified
1994	Round of 16	13th	4	1	2	1	4	4	Squad		12	9	1	2	39	8
1998		13th	4	1	2	1	8	7	Squad		16	8	6	2	37	13
2002		11th	4	2	1	1	4	4	Squad		16	9	3	4	33	11
2006		15th	4	1	1	2	5	5	Squad		18	15	1	2	67	10
2010		14th	4	1	1	2	4	5	Squad		18	11	2	5	36	18
2014		10th	4	2	1	1	5	3	Squad		18	10	5	3	31	14
2018		12th	4	2	0	2	3	6	Squad		16	11	4	1	29	8
2022	Group stage	22nd	3	1	1	1	2	3	Squad		14	8	4	2	17	8
2026	Round of 16	TBD	4	4	0	0	8	0	Squad		Qualified as co-hosts
2030	To be determined										To be determined
2034
Total: 18/23	Quarter-finals	6th	64	21	15	28	70	101	—		189	121	41	27	453	134

CONCACAF Gold Cup

Mexico has been very successful in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, winning many titles.

CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1963	Group stage	7th	3	1	1	1	9	2	Squad		Qualified automatically
1965	Champions	1st	5	4	1	0	13	2	Squad
1967	Runners-up	2nd	5	4	0	1	10	1	Squad		Qualified as defending champions
1969	Fourth place	4th	5	1	2	2	4	5	—		2	1	0	1	4	2
1971	Champions	1st	5	4	1	0	6	1	—		2	2	0	0	6	0
1973	Third place	3rd	5	2	2	1	10	5	—		4	4	0	0	8	3
1977	Champions	1st	5	5	0	0	20	5	—		4	1	2	1	3	1
1981	Third place	3rd	5	1	3	1	6	3	—		4	1	2	1	8	5
1985	Did not participate, it hosted the 1986 FIFA World Cup										—
1989	Banned										Banned
1991	Third place	3rd	5	3	1	1	10	5	Squad		Qualified automatically
1993	Champions	1st	5	4	1	0	28	2	Squad
1996	Champions	1st	4	4	0	0	9	0	Squad
1998	Champions	1st	4	4	0	0	8	2	Squad
2000	Quarter-finals	7th	3	1	1	1	6	3	Squad
2002		5th	3	2	1	0	4	1	Squad
2003	Champions	1st	5	4	1	0	9	0	Squad
2005	Quarter-finals	6th	4	2	0	2	7	4	Squad
2007	Runners-up	2nd	6	4	0	2	7	5	Squad
2009	Champions	1st	6	5	1	0	15	2	Squad
2011	Champions	1st	6	6	0	0	22	4	Squad
2013	Semi-finals	3rd	5	3	0	2	8	5	Squad
2015	Champions	1st	6	4	2	0	16	6	Squad
2017	Semi-finals	3rd	5	3	1	1	6	2	Squad
2019	Champions	1st	6	5	1	0	16	4	Squad
2021	Runners-up	2nd	6	4	1	1	9	2	Squad		4	4	0	0	13	3
2023	Champions	1st	6	5	0	1	13	2	Squad		4	2	2	0	8	3
2025	Champions	1st	6	5	1	0	10	3	Squad		4	3	0	1	8	3
Total	13 Titles	26/28	129	90	22	17	281	76	—		28	18	6	4	58	20

CONCACAF Nations League

Mexico also competes in the CONCACAF Nations League.

CONCACAF Nations League record
League phase												Final phase
Season	Division	Group	Seed	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	P/R		Finals	Result	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squads
2019–20	A	B	1st	4	4	0	0	13	3			2021	Runners-up	2	0	1	1	2	3	Squad
2022–23	A	A	4th	4	2	2	0	8	3			2023	Third place	2	1	0	1	1	3	Squad
2023–24	Bye		1st	N/A								2024	Runners-up	4	2	0	2	5	4	Squad
2024–25	Bye		1st	N/A								2025	Champions	4	3	0	1	8	3	Squad
2026–27	Bye		TBD	N/A								2027	To be determined
Total					8	6	2	0	21	6	—	Total	1 Title	12	6	1	5	16	13	—

Copa América

Mexico has been invited to play in the Copa América, a South American tournament.

Copa América record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad
1993	Runners-up	2nd	6	2	2	2	9	7	Squad
1995	Quarter-finals	7th	4	1	2	1	5	4	Squad
1997	Third place	3rd	6	2	2	2	8	9	Squad
1999	Third place	3rd	6	3	1	2	10	9	Squad
2001	Runners-up	2nd	6	3	1	2	5	3	Squad
2004	Quarter-finals	6th	4	2	1	1	5	7	Squad
2007	Third place	3rd	6	4	1	1	13	5	Squad
2011	Group stage	12th	3	0	0	3	1	4	Squad
2015		11th	3	0	2	1	4	5	Squad
2016	Quarter-finals	7th	4	2	1	1	6	9	Squad
2024	Group stage	9th	3	1	1	1	1	1	Squad
Total	Runners-up	Invitation (11)	51	20	14	17	67	63	—

FIFA Confederations Cup

Mexico has also competed in the FIFA Confederations Cup, a tournament for continental champions.

FIFA Confederations Cup record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad
1992	Did not qualify
1995	Third place	3rd	3	1	2	0	4	2	Squad
1997	Group stage	5th	3	1	0	2	8	6	Squad
1999	Champions	1st	5	4	1	0	13	6	Squad
2001	Group stage	8th	3	0	0	3	1	8	Squad
2003	Did not qualify
2005	Fourth place	4th	5	2	2	1	7	6	Squad
2009	Did not qualify
2013	Group stage	6th	3	1	0	2	3	5	Squad
2017	Fourth place	4th	5	2	1	2	8	10	Squad
Total	1 Title	7/10	27	11	6	10	44	43	—

Honours and Achievements

Global Titles

• FIFA Confederations Cup
  • Champions (1): 1999
  • Third place (1): 1995

Continental Titles

• CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup
  • Champions (13): 1965, 1971, 1977, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023, 2025
  • Runners-up (3): 1967, 2007, 2021
  • Third place (3): 1973, 1981, 1991
• CONCACAF Nations League
  • Champions (1): 2024–25
  • Runners-up (2): 2019–20, 2023–24
  • Third place (1): 2022–23
• CONCACAF Cup
  • Champions (1): 2015
• CONMEBOL Copa América
  • Runners-up (2): 1993, 2001
  • Third place (3): 1997, 1999, 2007
• Panamerican Championship¹
  • Third place (1): 1960

Subregional Titles

• NAFC Championship²
  • Champions (2): 1947, 1949
• North American Nations Cup
  • Champions (1): 1991
  • Runners-up (1): 1990
• Central American and Caribbean Games
  • Gold medal (2): 1935, 1938

Friendly Tournament Wins

• Torneo Internacional de Chile (1): 1966
• Copa Ciudad de México (1): 1975
• Azteca 2000 Tournament (1): 1985
• Marlboro Cup (1): 1989
• U.S. Cup (3): 1996, 1997, 1999
• Lunar New Year Cup (1): 1999
• Copa Reebok (1): 1999

Summary of Official Honours

This table shows all the official titles Mexico has won.

Competition				Total
FIFA Confederations Cup	1	0	1	2
CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup	13	3	3	18
CONCACAF Nations League	1	2	1	4
CONCACAF Cup	1	0	0	1
CONMEBOL Copa América	0	2	3	5
Panamerican Championship1	0	0	1	1
NAFC Championship2	2	0	0	2
Total	18	7	9	34

Images for kids

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  Mexico's fans at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de México para niños

• Mexico national under-23 football team
• Mexico national under-20 football team
• Mexico national under-17 football team
• Mexico women's national football team
• Mexico national beach football team
• Mexico national futsal team