Entering the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Mexican Women’s National Team is looking to secure their position as a nation on the rise in the world of women’s soccer. It was not an easy road to the World Cup; however, Mexico has earned a spot in which to showcase the talent that Coach Leonardo Cuellar has assembled.
Mexico struggled in the 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship, losing to Costa Rica out of the gate. The team pulled it together in order to make it through the Group Stage, eventually losing to the United States in the semi-finals. It took the scoring prowess of Charlyn Corral to push Mexico past Trinidad and Tobago and secure the third and final automatic bid to the World Cup.
Mexico WNT: Looking to Prove Youth Knows Best
Of the squad that will be playing in the World Cup, 11 of the players play in the United States, either professionally, or in college, while the rest of the squad is made up of homegrown talent and those that play in Europe professionally. In past years, the National Team would be made up of talent that was born and raised in America, but with ties to Mexico through parents who migrated to America; this thought process is now in the past, thanks to head coach Leonardo Cuellar. Cuellar has been the coach of this squad since 1998 and since then has made a concerted effort in growing a women’s youth program in Mexico and from there, fielding a National Team with home-grown talent. The vision of Coach Cuellar has become a reality, as 95% of the 2015 squad features home-grown talent.
Mexico may be young when it comes to the World Stage of Soccer, but, they have competed in the World Cup, the first coming in 1999 when the tournament was held in America and in the last World Cup in 2011 when it was held in Germany. As the youth program develops, many of this year’s squad has competed on the world stage such as Youth World Cup tournaments and other international events.
The style of play that the Mexican Women’s Club has played in the past has been vastly similar to that of the American National Team, which has undoubtedly have had success on the world stage, however, that has subsided with the hiring of Coach Cuellar. Cuellar has embodied a change in style of play and the technique in which the women play the game. Fitness has also played a large part of Cuellar’s goal as he is proud of how the team can compete with more advanced squads and outplay these clubs during the waning minutes of play.
As the Women’s World Cup 2015 from Canada begins, it will be interesting to see how Mexico will do; they have drawn a tough group that consists of France, England and Colombia. France finished fourth at the last World Cup and look to be a force in this year’s tournament and England has reached the quarterfinals in each of the three tournaments they have competed in. As with Mexico, Colombia is a young squad and only making their second appearance at the World Cup.
Mexico’s first match at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be on Tuesday, June 9th against Colombia (4:00 PM EST).
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