The only Mexican player that Lionel Messi wants to face in the World Cup
Messi has faced El Tri in two World Cups.
Given the last results of the Mexican national team on the CONCACAF Qualifiers, they weren’t able to be part of the top 8 teams in the FIFA rankings after the last FIFA match window, as they ended standing ninth, just below Portugal.
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If they had passed Portugal and ended as eighth, they would have been seeded in the Pot 1 of the Group Stage Draw and avoided playing against Argentina, as they have been one of the most recent executioners of El Tri in the World Cups.
Argentina National Team eliminated the Mexican squad in back-to-back World Cups. First, in 2006, with a late goal from Maxi Rodríguez that leave El Tri out of Germany 2006 in the round of 16, same stage that La Albiceleste eliminated them in South Africa 2010.
Now, Argentines and Mexicans will clash again for the third time in five World Cups, although this time it will be in the group stage, which opens the door for El Tri to avoid them in later stages if they manage to end seconds on the Group C.
Messi, excited to face one Mexican player
Even if Argentine players like Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez believe that the Mexican national team is going to be an easy game, the Argentina captain knows that El Tri is going to be a good challenge for them, as he knows what the Mexicans can do when they play against top teams.
Messi was part of the two games where Argentina eliminated El Tri, when he was teammate of Rafael Márquez in FC Barcelona, although he didn’t have the chance of facing Guillermo Ochoa, who was the second goalkeeper.
During an interview with TNT Sports, Messi said that he knows the Mexican goalkeeper and that it would be interesting facing him, as he’s had outstanding performances in the past, especially the one against Brazil in 2014.
Guillermo Ochoa’s numbers in the World Cup
Ochoa was called for his first World Cup in 2006, with Ricardo La Volpe as the coach, but it wasn’t until 2014 where he debuted thanks to Miguel Herrera. Since then, Ochoa has played a total of eight games, where he’s had three clean sheets and has received nine goals.
