What’s Next for the Mexican National Team?
Mexico’s national team has been on a downward spiral since 2021, factors like poor player development and league quality have contributed to their decline. The decline of Mexico’s quality has raised crucial concerns about the potential solutions needed for “El Tri” to regain its competitive edge.
In 2020, Liga MX (Mexico’s professional league) suspended relegation due to financial strain from the Covid 19 pandemic, relegation is where a team performs poorly in the league that they are demoted to a lower division next season, swapping places with the teams promoted from the division below. Relegation creates an intense competition where every game matters which encourages investment in player development and performance. Without relegation there is no competition nor player development. Additionally, Liga MX’s limited export of players to Europe has hindered player growth. Many young players remain in Liga MX due to high transfer fees and clubs reluctant to sell, thus reducing exposure to higher level football.
We can see Mexico’s lack of competition in 2022 and in 2024. In 2022 Mexico qualified to the FIFA World Cup, the World Cup is every four years, bringing together the best national teams from around the world to compete for the title of world champion. Going into the World Cup, Mexico had the second oldest squad in the tournament with an average age of 28.5 years old, this meant that Mexico had a decline in physical intensity, reduced tactical flexibility and long-term development. Due to these factors Mexico had one of its worst campaigns since 1978, Mexico had crashed out in the group stages something that hadn’t happened for 40 years and in 2024 in the Copa America, also held every four years where teams from South America compete to see who’s the best in the continent. Mexico was invited, but just like in the 2022 World Cup, they crashed out in the group stages.
2022 and 2024 made every Mexican fan realize that El Tri was in urgent need of change. Mexico’s elimination in the group stages served as a wakeup call, exposing structural and developmental failure that has been building up for years. What’s next for the Mexican national team? Mexico should prioritize a long-term rebuilding process centered around youth development and competitiveness, giving young players consistent opportunities rather than relying on aging veterans. Reintroducing relegation would increase accountability and intensity, pushing clubs to push more seriously in player development and performance.
