Mexico has long been a staple in the World Cup round of 16—El Tri reached the knockout stage in seven straight tournaments. But a lackluster performance to start the tournament leaves them needing some final-day magic to get there.
El Tri entered the tournament with some concerns surrounding their attack—they were unconvincing in friendlies leading up to Qatar, and star winger Jesus “Tecatito” Corona suffered an injury in October that forced him to miss the tournament. Mexico started its World Cup campaign with a scoreless draw against Poland and a 2–0 loss to Argentina in two matches where the attack remained largely toothless.