Aguirre drops veteran Ochoa for Nations League finals as Mexico build towards 2026

March 12 – Mexican manager Javier Aguirre has left out veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, so often the talisman of Mexican teams, and Club América’s evergreen forward Henry Martín from his 23-man roster for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League Finals.

Mexico open against Canada on March 20 in the semi-final at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. They will then meet either USA or Panama in the final or the third-placed play-off at the same venue on March 23.

The 39-year-old Ochoa (pictured) has played 151 times for the Mexican team in an international career spanning 20 years. Club América’s 28-year-old Luis Malagón has the opportunity to cement his starting place. He has played seven times for the national team since making his senior debut in 2023.

Mexico’s biggest failing of recent seasons has been a failure to score more goals to match their often dominant passages of possession. Henry Martin, 32, has scored 11 goals in 46 appearances for Mexico, a scoring record that has not matched his 95 goals in 251 appearances for Club America.

Aguirre is also without San Diego FC forward Hirving Lozano who is still recovering from a pre-season injury.

INSERAD AGUIRRE WILL LOOK TO HIST OverseAs Strikers Julián Quiñones (Al-Qadisiya), Raúl Jiménez (Fulham), Santiago Giménez (AC Milan), and César Huerta (Anderlecht) to Step Up.

Jimenez and Giménez in particular will be expected to fulfil their promise at national team level, though Giménez, who was born in Argentina, has yet to receive the full support of Mexico’s partisan fan base.

Giménez scored 45 goals in 75 games for Feyenoord before a €32 million move to AC Milan in January where he has scored twice in six games.

West Ham’s Edson Álvarez will be at the heart of Mexico’s midfield which is an area where they are not short of talent with Luis Romo (Chivas), Luis Chávez (Dinamo Moscow), Roberto Alvarado (Chivas), and Orbelín Pineda (AEK Athens) giving Aguirre plenty of options.

This is the fourth edition of the Nations League, a title Mexico have never won having lost twice in the final to the USA.

Mexico Nations League Finals roster

Goalkeepers: Luis Malagón (America), Raúl Rangel (Chivas), Carlos Moreno (Pachuca)

Defenders: César Montes (Lokomotiv Moscow), Johan Vásquez (Genoa), Israel Reyes (America), Ramón Juárez (America), Jesús Gallardo (Toluca), Jesús Angle (Tigres), Rodrigo Huescas (Copenhagen)

Midfielders: Edson Álvarez (West Ham United), Luis Romo (Shivas), Luis Shivez (Moscow Dynasty), Charly Rodríguez (Cruz)

Forwards: Julián Quiñones (Al-Qadisiya), Raúl Jiménez (Fulham), Santiago Giménez (AC Milan), César Huerta (Anderlecht), Alexis Vega (Toluca), Efraín Álvarez (Tijuana).

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