With Rogelio Funes Mori at the helm: Which are the nationalized soccer players in the Mexico team?

Rogelio Funes Mori made history on July 3rd, 2021 when he became the latest naturalised player to wear the colours of El Tri. The Monterrey striker was called up for a friendly match in Nashville against Nigeria. Funes Mori took just 4 minutes into his Mexico career to score a goal for the National team, netting the first goal in the 4-0 thrashing of the African side. 

So far he has also scored 2 more goals in 3 matches, a brace against Guatemala in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, to take his record to 3 goals in 3 matches for the country. However, he is not the only naturalised player to have played for the Mexican National team. In total, there have been 15 players who had no Mexican roots but were naturalised and played for the El Tri. 8 of them were of Argentine origin, 3 of Spanish origin, 2 from Brazil and 1 each from Peru and Cuba. 

List of Naturalised Players who played for Mexico National Soccer Team

1. Carlos Lara - Argentina 

2. Gabriel Caballero - Argentina 

3. Guillermo Franco - Argentina 

4. Matías Vuoso - Argentina 

5. Lucas Ayala - Argentina 

6. Damián Álvarez - Argentina 

7. Christian Giménez - Argentina 

8. Rogelio Funes Mori - Argentina 

9. Carlos Blanco - Spain 

10. José López - Spain

11. Lorenzo Camarena - Spain

12. Julio Lores - Peru

13. Jorge Romo - Cuba

14. Leandro Augusto - Brazil 

15. Antonio Naelson Sinha - Brazil

Of all 15 naturalised players have played for the Mexican National team, Brazilian-born Antonio Naelson Sinha is the most successful. Sinha featured for the El Tri 59 times, playing in the Confederations Cup, the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2006 FIFA World Cup.