Mexico’s Debut in the Tournament After Six Years
Mexico, known as “El Tri,” made its debut in the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Chile from September 27 to October 19. The team faced a challenging Group C, also known as the “group of death,” alongside Brazil, Spain, and Morocco.
The Match Against Brazil
In their first match, Mexico surprised Brazil with a goal by Alexei Dominguez from Pachuca’s Tuzos at the 10th minute. However, Brazil, the second most successful team in the tournament’s history with five titles, managed to turn the game around with goals from Rafael Coutinho (21′) and Luighi (76′). Mexico equalized in the 86th minute with a header from Diego Ochoa, a Bravos de Juarez central defender, who anticipated the first post on a corner kick by Gilberto Mora from Xolos de Tijuana, avoiding an opening-match defeat for El Tri.
The Mexican Squad
Head coach Eduardo Arce fielded a lineup with ten players having first-division experience. The only exception was goalkeeper Emmanuel Ochoa, who has yet to receive a chance with Cruz Azul. Notable players included Gilberto Mora, who recently served as a starter for the full national team under Javier Aguirre during the Gold Cup triumph, and Elías Montiel, a Pachuca midfielder who wore the captain’s armband.
The squad also featured two players not based in Liga MX: Obed Vargas of Seattle Sounders (USA) and César Garza of Dundee United (Scotland). Later, experienced players like Iker Fimbres of Monterrey and Yael Padilla of Chivas joined the fray, contributing despite their attacking roles as Brazil pressed heavily after the 2-2 scoreline.
Historical Context and Future Matches
Mexico has yet to defeat Brazil in the U-20 category, with a record of two losses and three draws. The goal balance stands at six for and nine against. El Tri’s next match is on Wednesday, October 1st, against Spain, which suffered a 0-2 loss to Morocco in the opening game.
Currently, Spain occupies the last place in Group C, while Morocco leads and Brazil and Mexico share second place. In the upcoming match, the South American teams will face the African counterparts.
The FIFA U-20 World Cup features 24 teams divided into six groups. The top 16 from the group stage will advance to the round of 16, aiming to succeed Uruguay as champions (Uruguay failed to qualify for the 2025 edition).
This is Mexico’s first appearance since 2019, as there was no tournament in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Mexico did not qualify in the 2023 CONCACAF elimination rounds.
Mexico’s best performance in a U-20 World Cup was the runner-up finish in 1977, losing to the Soviet Union on penalties (8-9) in a tournament then called the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who are the teams in Mexico’s group? Mexico is in Group C, also known as the “group of death,” alongside Brazil, Spain, and Morocco.
- What was the score of Mexico’s match against Brazil? The match ended in a 2-2 draw.
- Who scored the equalizing goal for Mexico against Brazil? Diego Ochoa, a central defender from Bravos de Juarez, scored the equalizing goal.
- What are Mexico’s historical results against Brazil in the U-20 category? Mexico has never defeated Brazil in this category, with a record of two losses and three draws.
- Who are the notable players in Mexico’s squad? Notable players include Gilberto Mora, Elías Montiel, Iker Fimbres, and Yael Padilla.
- What are the upcoming matches for Mexico in the group stage? Mexico will face Spain on October 1st and Morocco at a later date.
