Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez on Mexico's Gold Cup preliminary list; Rogelio Funes Mori, too
Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez is on Mexico's preliminary roster for next month's CONCACAF Gold Cup, which also includes Monterrey striker Rogelio Funes Mori.
It would be Hernandez's first potential call-up in nearly two years, with Mexico's all-time leading goal scorer last appearing in a friendly vs. the United States in September 2019.
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Funes Mori recently obtained his Mexican citizenship, making him eligible to file a one-time switch from Argentina to represent El Tri. Born in Mendoza and partially raised in the U.S., Funes Mori made one appearance for El Albiceleste in 2012.
The 30-year-old ex-River Plate man has been seen as viable No. 9 option for Mexico as Raul Jimenez remains out of action due to a skull injury suffered in November. Since arriving to Rayados in 2015, Funes Mori has scored 121 goals across all competitions, helping them win the 2019 Liga MX Apertura title and the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League.
Hernandez has repeatedly said he is open to playing for Mexico again but that it is in the hands of the Mexico manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino to select him for the final squad. The LA Galaxy striker is having a breakout season in his second year in Major League Soccer, scoring seven goals and provided one assist in seven games.
"Regarding the Mexican national team like I said before, it's an honor to be taken in consideration, but it is too soon to talk about that subject and I have not spoken to Gerardo Martino about anything," Hernandez said earlier this week.
Teams must submit their 23-man rosters by June 30. A team may replace an injured player up until a day before its first game.
Other notable players on the list include Club America goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, Porto winger Jesus "Tecatito" Corona, Napoli dangerman Hirving "Chucky" Lozano, Ajax Amsterdam defender Edson Alvarez, Atletico Madrid midfielder Hector Herrera, and Real Betis duo Andres Guardado and Diego Lainez. All those players featured in the 3-2 loss to the USMNT at the CONCACAF Nations League final on June 6.
Mexico seeks to defend its Gold Cup title, beating the U.S. 1-0 in Chicago at the 2019 edition.
Mexico will face off against Curacao, El Salvador and a qualifier are in Group A when group stage kicks off on July 10. Group B sees the U.S., Martinique, Canada and a qualifier;Costa Rica, Jamaica, Suriname and a qualifier are in Group C; and Grenada, Honduras, Panama and invited guest Qatar are in Group D.
The top two nations in each group advance. The final is Aug. 1 in Las Vegas.
MEXICO PRELIMINARY LIST
Goalkeepers: Rodolfo Cota (León), Hugo González (Bravos de Ciudad Juárez), Guillermo Ochoa (América), Jonathan Orozco (Tijuana),Alfredo Talavera (Pumas).
Defenders: Kevin Álvarez (Pachuca), Edson Álvarez (Ajax), Jesús Alberto Angulo (Atlas), Néstor Araujo (Celta de Vigo), Gerardo Arteaga (Genk), José Joaquín Esquivel (Bravos), Víctor Guzmán (Xolos), Vladimir Loroña (Xolos), Alejandro Mayorga (Chivas), César Montes (Monterrey), Héctor Moreno (Monterrey), Alan Mozo (Pumas), Diego Reyes (Tigres), Luis Rodriguez (Tigres), Osvaldo Rodríguez (León), Luis Romo (Cruz Azul), Carlos Salcedo (Tigres), Jorge Sánchez (América), Gilberto Sepúlveda (Chivas), Johan Vásquez (Pumas).
Midfielders: Érick Aguirre (Pachuca), Jesús Ricardo Angulo (Chivas), Roberto Alvarado (Cruz Azul), Fernando Beltrán (Chivas), Alan Cervantes (Santos Laguna), Luis Chávez (Pachuca), Sebastián Córdova (América), Jonathan Dos Santos (Los Angeles Galaxy), Jesús Gallardo (Monterrey), Andrés Guardado (Real Betis), Érick Gutiérrez (PSV Eindhoven), Héctor Herrera (Atletico Madrid), Diego Lainez (Real Betis), Miguel Layún (América), Érik Lira (Pumas), Orbelín Pineda (Cruz Azul), José Rodríguez (León), Carlos Rodríguez (Monterrey), Jairo Torres (Atlas).
Forwards: Efraín Álvarez (Galaxy), Uriel Antuna (Chivas), Jesus Corona (Porto), Roberto de la Rosa (Pachuca), Rogelio Funes Mori (Monterrey), Santiago Giménez (Cruz Azul), Javier Hernández (Galaxy), Hirving Lozano (Napoli, José Juan Macías (Chivas), Henry Martín (América), Rodolfo Pizarro (Inter Miami), Alan Pulido (Sporting Kansas City), Marcel Ruíz (Tijuana), Érick Sánchez (Pachuca), Alexis Vega (Chivas), Alejandro Zendejas (Necaxa).
