Mexico name 17-player preliminary squad
MEXICO CITY - Goalkeeper Oscar Perez received a surprise call-up by Mexico on Tuesday that virtually guaranteed him a place at the World Cup.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RKfnMtokDVtKLHbwQ75XxM.jpg)
The 37-year-old veteran of the 1998 and 2002 finals who last played for Mexico in a June 2009 qualifier was named in a squad of 17 home-based players by coach Javier Aguirre.
Aguirre said last week he would name three goalkeepers and they would all go to the finals that kick off on June 11 when Mexico face hosts South Africa.
Also on Aguirre's list are forwards Adolfo Bautista and Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who will be going to their third finals if they make it into the coach's 23-man tournament squad, which he plans to announce on June 1.
Mexico have a long list of warm-up matches, starting with three in the United States against Ecuador on May 7, Senegal on May 10 and Angola on May 13 followed by Chile at the Azteca in Mexico City on May 16.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (America), Luis Ernesto Michel (Guadalajara), Oscar Perez (Chiapas)
Defenders: Paul Aguilar (Pachuca), Efrain Juarez (Pumas UNAM), Jonny Magallon (Guadalajara), Juan Carlos Valenzuela (America), Jorge Torres Nilo (Atlas), Adrian Aldrete (Morelia)
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Midfielders: Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Israel Castro (Pumas UNAM)
Forwards: Pablo Barrera (Pumas UNAM), Adolfo Bautista (Guadalajara), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Veracruz), Alberto Medina (Guadalajara), Miguel Sabah (Morelia), Javier Hernandez (Guadalajara).
![LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 5: Arne Slot Manager of Liverpool congratulates Mohamed Salah of Liverpool after the 4-0 victory during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 match between Liverpool FC and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Anfield on November 5, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/q3ie7X2vDDiU7X6C9HVRK7-840-80.jpg)
‘The pure simplicity of the way Slot has managed the squad is probably the biggest thing I could say about him. It’s not broken, so let’s get on with it’: Liverpool legend full of admiration for Jurgen Klopp's successor at Anfield
![CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 02: Wales captain Ryan Giggs shakes the hand of manager John Toshack after being substituted on his last International appearance for his country during the Euro 2008 Group D Qualifying Match between Wales and Czech Republic at the Millennium Stadium on June 2, 2007 in Cardiff, Wales. Photo by (Stu Forster/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ooQ9oNmgvfUUG8TBUhn6BK-840-80.jpg)
‘I trained at Spurs and thought they’d give me a chance. But I received a letter thanking me but saying they didn’t think I was good enough – I was gutted’: How Tottenham missed out on signing Wales legend John Toshack