The roar of the crowd in Toluca turned to silence — then boos — as Mexican Football Federation’s El Tri fell 1-2 to Paraguay on Friday, November 18, 2023. It wasn’t just another friendly. It was the fifth straight match without a win since their last triumph: the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup FinalLos Angeles, where they defeated the United States 3-1 to claim their 10th regional title. Now, fans are asking: when did this team lose its way?
A Streak That Echoes History
Since that July night in SoFi Stadium, Mexico’s results have been a slow-motion collapse: 0-0 with Uruguay, 1-1 with Ecuador, 0-4 humiliation at the hands of Colombia, 2-2 with South Korea, and now, the gut-punch loss to Paraguay. Five matches. Four draws. One loss. No goals in 180 minutes of football against Colombia. No clean sheets since July. The pattern isn’t random — it’s a crisis. According to AS’s November 19 report, this is Mexico’s second-worst winless streak in international history. The worst? A six-match drought in 1998, just before the World Cup. This one’s at five — and it’s closing in fast. Fans aren’t just disappointed. They’re furious. Marca captured the mood: “El Tri has earned the boos.” And they weren’t wrong. The noise wasn’t just from the stands — it echoed through social media, sports radio, and even the halls of the federation’s headquarters in Toluca.What’s Going Wrong?
The problem isn’t just results. It’s rhythm. Mexico’s midfield, once a pulsing engine of control, now looks disjointed. Their defense, once reliable, is giving up soft goals — like Paraguay’s winner, a counterattack finished with chilling precision by Diego Gómez in the 78th minute. Their attack? Stagnant. No player has scored in their last three matches. The team’s best performer, 22-year-old winger Uriel Antuna, has been isolated. And the captain, Andrés Guardado, now 37, is visibly slowing — a symbol of a generation fading out without a clear successor. Head coach Jaime Lozano has been under fire since the Gold Cup. He inherited a squad built for tournament football — physical, disciplined, set-piece reliant. But friendlies aren’t tournaments. They’re labs. And Lozano’s team has failed every experiment. No tactical adjustments. No fresh ideas. Just repetition.More Than Friendlies — A Crossroads
These aren’t just friendlies. They’re evaluations. The federation used these matches to test young players — but few have stepped up. Julio Gómez, 20, showed flashes against Ecuador but vanished against Colombia. Ángel Mena, 27, was recalled but looked out of sync. Meanwhile, players like Henry Martín and Orbelín Pineda are stuck in limbo — too good for the bench, too inconsistent for the starting XI. The term “El Tri despide...” used in AS’s coverage wasn’t poetic fluff. It was a warning. This match may have been the farewell for veterans like Guardado, Héctor Moreno, and Edson Álvarez — if they’re not given a new role, they’ll be left behind. The federation’s failure to plan for this transition is glaring.
What’s Next? The 2025 Gold Cup Looms
Mexico enters the 2025 CONCACAF Gold CupUnited States as defending champions. But they’re entering it as underdogs in the eyes of many. The U.S., Canada, and even Jamaica are improving. Mexico? They’re regressing. The federation now faces a choice: fire Lozano and risk chaos, or double down and risk irrelevance. Either way, the clock is ticking. The next window is January 2024 — a pair of friendlies against Jamaica and Panama. If Mexico doesn’t win one, the streak hits six. And history won’t wait.Why This Matters Beyond the Pitch
Mexico’s football identity is built on pride. Ten Gold Cups. Four World Cup semifinals. A fanbase that travels in waves. But pride without performance becomes arrogance. And arrogance without accountability becomes irrelevance. This isn’t just about tactics. It’s about culture. The federation has spent decades resting on past glory. But the world moved on. Brazil’s youth academies. Germany’s data-driven systems. Spain’s tiki-taka evolution. Mexico’s? Still waiting for someone to turn on the lights. The next generation is ready. But they need leadership. Not slogans. Not nostalgia. A plan.Frequently Asked Questions
How bad is Mexico’s current winless streak compared to its history?
Mexico’s current five-match winless run (four draws, one loss) is its second-worst in international history, just one match short of the record six-match drought in 1998. The 1998 streak ended with a 1-0 win over Colombia in a World Cup qualifier — a pressure-cooker scenario Mexico hasn’t faced since the Gold Cup. This current drought is especially alarming because it’s happening in friendlies, where teams are supposed to experiment — not collapse.
Who’s to blame for Mexico’s poor form?
Blame is shared. Coach Jaime Lozano hasn’t adapted tactics or rotated effectively. The federation has failed to develop a clear succession plan for aging stars like Guardado and Moreno. Meanwhile, young talents like Julio Gómez and Uriel Antuna haven’t been given consistent roles. It’s a systemic failure — not just a coaching one.
Is the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup at risk for Mexico?
Yes. As defending champions, Mexico is automatically qualified — but their form suggests they’ll be easy prey. The U.S. and Canada have both strengthened their squads with MLS and European-based players. Jamaica’s 2023 Gold Cup run proved regional rivals are catching up. Without a dramatic turnaround, Mexico could exit in the quarterfinals — their worst performance since 2005.
Are there any bright spots in this dark stretch?
Yes. Midfielder Diego Lainez showed flashes of brilliance against Ecuador, and 19-year-old striker José Juan Macías scored in the 2-2 draw with South Korea. Goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera, 38, has been surprisingly solid. But flashes aren’t enough. These players need consistent starts, not sporadic appearances. The system must change — or these talents will be wasted.
What’s the timeline for potential changes?
The next matches are in January 2024 — friendlies against Jamaica and Panama. If Mexico doesn’t win at least one, pressure will force a coaching change before the 2025 Gold Cup qualifiers begin in March. The federation has already delayed contract extensions for assistant coaches. A decision on Lozano’s future is expected by December 15, 2023.
How does this affect Mexican football’s global reputation?
Mexico’s global standing has slipped. Once feared in World Cups, they’re now seen as inconsistent and over-reliant on individual brilliance. European scouts are shifting focus to other CONCACAF nations. Even in Mexico, youth participation is dropping — fans are turning away. If the federation doesn’t act, they risk losing the next generation of talent to other countries’ academies — and the legacy of 10 Gold Cups could become a relic.