Mexico are playing the opening game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup with hosts South Africa in Johannesburg and the result of that match will determine how the world soccer fraternity classifies Mexico whether among the contenders for the World Cup title or just here to appear as their recent years of turbulence in international competitions have indicted.

Managed by Javier Aguirre, former Atletico Madrid coach, Mexico are in a new mood of optimism and will be fiving the evidence of that in their Group A matches starting Friday 11^th June 2010. Aguirre has put together a team comprising bright young talents and established stars, restoring their wavering confidence in the process.

The Mexicans’ erratic form continued in the final six-team round-robin group, kicking off with a 2-0 defeat in the USA before beating Costa Rica by the same scoreline and then losing 3-1 to Honduras. That last defeat cost Goran Eriksson his job and his replacement by Aguirre, who stepped in similar circumstances on the road to Korea/Japan 2002.

Mexico National Football Team in 2010 FIFA World Cup

Mexico are once again the regional powerhouses of South American football. Their qualification campaign for South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup was awesome, winning five games, drawing one and losing just the one. Having safely made their way to the finals, their objective will now be to progress beyond the group stages where they have been knocked out at the last four FIFA World Cup finals.

“I feel relaxed. Whenever you reach an objective you’ve been brought in to achieve you have the satisfaction of knowing that you haven’t let down the people who put their faith in you. I am happy and proud. When I came into the job we were fifth and nine points away from first place, and now we’re in the World Cup,” said Coach Javier Aguirre reacts to his side second-place finish in the CONCACAF Zone.

The star players of Mexico at 2010 World Cup
Veteran playmaker Cuauhtemoc Blanco is perhaps the player Mexico fans should thank for their side’s turnaround. Lured out of retirement by Aguirre, the uniquely talented 36-year-old became the symbol of a revitalised team, helping younger team-mates such as Guillermo Ochoa, Efrain Juarez, Andres Guardado and Giovani dos Santos to find their best form. Along with skipper Rafael Marquez, they are sure to provide the nucleus of the squad that will travel to South Africa 2010 to improve the fortunes of Mexico football record.

Mexico Previous FIFA World Cups
· Mexico have qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals 14 times in all, more than any other side from the CONCACAF Zone.
· Mexico’s achieved their best-ever performances in the finals as tournament hosts in 1970 and 1986, reaching the last eight on both occasions.
· South Africa 2010 is their fifth appearance in the finals in a row. On all four previous occasions they have bowed out in the Round of 16.

Mexico Soccer Records
· Under Javier Aguirre, Mexico went an impressive 12 games without defeat before losing 2-1 to Colombia in a friendly, a game in which they used only home-based players.
· The Mexico squad that earned qualification for South Africa 2010 contained four players who won the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2005: Giovani dos Santos, Carlos Vela, Efrain Juarez and Hector Moreno.

Mexico Nation Football team Squad

Coach: Javier AGUIRRE (MEX)