The players of the Mexican soccer team together before the start of the game against the Surinamese team.misselectionEN (Twitter)
The new chapter of the Mexican team is called Diego Cocca. The coach’s first test scratched the surface by beating Suriname, a country ranked 139th in the FIFA rankings, 2-0 with problems. Mexico were far from being the protagonists on the pitch and the initiative came from the former Dutch colony in an official Concacaf Nations League match. Without goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo, El Tri would have written a very torturous story in Paramaribo.
The Mexico team has been screaming for a renewal since 2019 when Tata Martino arrived, although the full switch never happened. In response, El Tri were eliminated in the group stage at the World Cup in Qatar, their biggest failure in 40 years. To iron out the rust in the national team, the directors of the Mexican clubs were looking for an alternative, a new airs, a new project. It took more than two months to choose a new coach. They promised to look for a Mexican coach who knows the environment, the players and the peculiarities well. In the end, the owners preferred to pass the baton to Argentinian Diego Cocca, who managed to make Racing de Avellaneda and Atlas champions, a club with more than 70 years without winning a title.
Mexico coach Diego Cocca during a training session with national team Hector Vivas (Getty Images)
However, Cocca’s election split ownership of Mexico’s 18 teams, prompting the president of the Mexican Football Federation to resign. There was no consensus between them or the union. Cocca’s debut came this Thursday in Suriname, a colony until 1975. The strategist’s first line-up went straight to the long-awaited changes: Carlos Acevedo (Santos Laguna) was in goal. The defensive line consisted of the most striking young players available: Gerardo Arteaga (Genk) on the left, Kevin Álvarez (Pachuca) on the right, Israel Reyes (América) and Johan Vásquez (Cremonese) at the centre-back. In midfield he had Carlos Rodríguez and the Éricks: Guitérrez (PSV Eindhoven) and Sánchez (Pachuca). The wingers were meant for two guys who lost the spark like Roberto Alvarado (Chivas) and Uriel Antuna (Cruz Azul). Santiago Giménez (Feyenoord) was chosen as the permanent forward, the player whom Tata Martino despised in his final list for the last World Cup.
Mexico had a very bad time against Suriname in the first half. The Mexicans played headless, didn’t have a clear style of play and were therefore defenseless on counterattacks. Acevedo had to save his team three times in the first half. El Tri had some trouble stringing together an effective passing streak. It was only at the full hour that the Mexicans broke free when they found a goal from a set piece by defender Vásquez. That was groundbreaking. Or so it seemed. Giménez, the goal hopeful, missed a penalty. Cocca’s team couldn’t find any rooms or aim. Towards the end, Antuna’s cross was lucky to catch the leg of Surinamese Dion Malone, who scored an own goal. Little shine from Mexico.
Cocca’s task is to correct the Mexican team’s path to find stability. The urgency is high because in 2026 Mexico will organize the World Cup together with the United States and Canada. It will once again be an opportunity for the Mexicans to play the track so desired by their fans.
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