Mexico have announced the call ups for the U-23 team that will be playing two friendlies against Argentina in March. Mexico will play two home friendlies against Paris 2024 bound Argentina during the March FIFA dates. Coach Ricardo Cadena will take on their first two matches since Mexico’s participation in the 2023 Pan American games, where Mexico won the bronze medal.
The call up list is the following:
Goalkeepers: Alex Padilla (Athletic Bilbao), Fernando Tapia (Queretaro)
Defenders: Omar Campos (LAFC), Rodrigo Huescas (Cruz Azul), Ramon Juarez (America), Jesus Alcantar (Necaxa), Jorge Berlanga (Pachuca), Pablo Monroy (Pumas),Emilio Lara (America) , Mateo Chavez (Chivas),
Midfielders: Andres Montaño (Mazatlan), Marcelo Flores (Tigres), Rodrigo Lopez (Pumas), Alan Bautista (Pachuca), Diego Medina (Santos), Diego Gomez (Necaxa), Ramiro Arciga (Mazatlan), Sebastian Fierro (Tigres)
Forwards: Ozziel Herrera (Tigres), Santiago Muñoz (Santos), Ettson Ayon (Queretaro), Jordan Carrillo (Santos), Efrain Alvarez (Tijuana), Bryan Gonzalez (Pachuca)
The most notable call up is the first call up for Alex Padilla to the Mexican National team. Padilla plays for Athletic de Bilbao and had been called up for Spain’s U19 team but was last called up for a Spanish Youth NT in 2022. As he has the Mexican nationality thru his mother, Padilla has always been rumored to be in the Mexico’s NT radar and this call up will please a lot of fans. Other notable call ups are players like Alan Bautista, who has been having a great season with Pachuca, and just exported to MLS, Omar Campos.
Mexico will face off against Argentina twice in March. On March 22nd, Mexico will have their first friendly against Argentina in Mazatlan and then they end series with a match in Puebla on March 25th. Argentina’s start their preparation under Javier Mascherano for the 2024 Olympic games after qualifying to the tournament in February. Mexico missed out on the tournament after losing in the Quarterfinals of the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship after CONCACAF decided that the tournament gave the tickets to the 2022 U-20 World Cup and the Olympic games. Mexico missed out on both tournament with the loss.