Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez will be missing some familiar faces from his supporting cast when Mexico convenes for World Cup qualifying later this month.
Veteran forwards Carlos Vela, Oribe Peralta and Giovani dos Santos were omitted from the Mexico squad announced Thursday ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Canada on March 25 and March 29.
Vela's omission comes in the wake of an episode earlier this month that saw the striker miss training with Real Sociedad after he had been at a Chris Brown concert in Madrid the night before.
Hirving Lozano and Candido Ramirez, who both received their first caps in a February friendly against Senegal, are among the newcomers in Mexico's attacking corps.
Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa also has been left out by coach Juan Carlos Osorio, while 37-year-old defender Rafa Marquez returns in search of his first cap since the Confederations Cup playoff in October.
El Tri sit atop Group A in the semifinal phase of World Cup qualifying in CONCACAF after recording wins over El Salvador and Honduras in November.
Mexico's squad in full:
GOALKEEPERS: Alejandro Palacios, Jose de Jesus Corona, Alfredo Talavera
DEFENDERS: Rafa Marquez, Miguel Layun, Paul Aguilar, Yasser Corona, Nestor Araujo, Hector Moreno, Diego Reyes
MIDFIELDERS: Orbelin Pineda, Marco Fabian, Rodolfo Pizarro, Andres Guardado, Hector Herrera, Jesus Molina
FORWARDS: Raul Jimenez, Javier Hernandez, Eduardo Herrera, Jesus "Tecatito" Corona, Javier Aquino, Hirving Lozano, Candido Ramirez, Isaac Brizuela
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