Mexico Squad Report: Mutual admiration ahead of Round of 16 showdown

It is the pressure cooker situation of the World Cup's Round of 16, and although Louis van Gaal’s Netherlands are firm favorites, there has been nothing but respect between Mexico and the Dutch ahead of Sunday’s clash.

Despite having very different CVs, Miguel Herrera and Louis van Gaal have spent the past day speaking of their admiration for one another. Contrasting personalities but equally eccentric in their own way, El Piojo and van Gaal provide the World Cup with two of the most colorful characters.

While van Gaal boasts a Champions League, a UEFA Cup and league titles in Holland, Spain and Germany, 46-year-old Herrera has just one Liga MX title to his name. However, given the dramatic turn in Mexico’s fortunes since Herrera took charge, van Gaal has been quick to credit El Piojo.

The 62-year-old, soon-to-be Manchester United coach said, “I like how Miguel Herrera is, I enjoy it when I see a coach so passionate. On another day I saw an interview and he said some very sensible things, what more can one ask for?”

This mixture of passion and tactical astuteness has lifted Mexico. Van Gaal rates this as a greater test than Chile and in spite of similarities in the two sides he praised the desire that all the Mexican players possess.

Miguel Herrera has obviously shot to stardom during this World Cup due to his exuberant celebrations but there is far more to El Piojo than his meme-spawning gesticulations, even if he self-deprecatingly said, “It is an honour to share the touchline but I can’t compare myself with someone of the stature of van Gaal.”

Comparisons though are inevitable as Herrera was moulded in the form of his mentor, Ricardo La Volpe, who in-turn was heavily influenced by van Gaal’s Ajax side of the nineties. The feature of pressing is evident in this Mexico side, and since the Dutch lost Kevin Strootman to injury pre-tournament, van Gaal has also utilised a 3-man-defence.

Confidence — as always — is high but Herrera knows this is by far the biggest test of his regime. “We play a great opponent but we are sure of the effort and determination that we have in the team. We know tomorrow will be a difficult game, but we are going to win.”

Mexico’s legions of fans in Brazil share this confidence even if for the first time in the tournament, Herrera has had to change his starting eleven. The experienced Carlos Salcido will come into the defensive midfield slot which has been so wonderfully executed by Jose Juan Vazquez until this point.

Salcido knows Dutch football well from his time with PSV Eindhoven but, like the Brazil game nearly two weeks ago, Mexico will need a complete team performance if they are to defeat this Netherlands side.

Fixtures/Results

Group A – June 13 – Mexico 1 – 0 Cameroon
Group A – June 18 – Mexico 0 – 0 Brazil
Group A – June 23 – Mexico 3 - 1 Croatia
Round of 16 – June 29 – Mexico vs. Netherlands

Squad News/Rumors/Injury Report

Starting eleven vs Netherlands: Guillermo Ochoa; Rafa Marquez, Francisco Rodriguez, Hector Moreno; Paul Aguilar, Miguel Layun; Carlos Salcido, Hector Herrera, Andres Guardado; Giovani dos Santos, Oribe Peralta.

There are no reported injuries within the squad.

Captain Rafa Marquez, Hector Moreno and Paul Aguilar are all on a yellow card.

Despite finally scoring a goal vs. Croatia, it is understood Javier Hernandez will remain as a substitute with Miguel Herrera preferring to introduce him later in the game.

Team Leaders

Oribe Peralta, Rafa Marquez, Andres Guardado and Javier Hernandez  –  1 goal each.

Hector Herrera, Oribe Peralta and Rafa Marquez – 1 assist each.

Guillermo Ochoa – 2 clean sheets, 8 saves.

Quick notes

With the group stages complete, Mexican players have featured heavily in nearly all of the Best XI published. Guillermo Ochoa and Rafa Marquez find themselves included in most as Mexico’s backline has impressed.

Interest in certain players has increased. Ochoa has been linked to virtually every side in Europe but now Atletico Madrid have stepped up their pursuit.

Meanwhile, an Ajaccio fan is so desperate to see Ochoa remain in France that he has put his house up for sale in order to raise funds to re-sign the Mexican number one.

Paul Aguilar is another of El Tri’s players to attract attention with Barcelona keeping tabs on the right back.