Mexico release roster for upcoming World Cup qualifiers vs. Canada

Mexico manager Juan Carlos Osorio crouches on the sideline

The Mexican national team roster has been announced for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Canada.


Mexico head coach Juan Carlos Osorio has selected 24 players for the qualifiers, which will take place March 25 at BC Place in Vancouver (10 pm ET; UniMás, UDN, TSN, RDS) and March 29 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City (10:30 pm ET; TSN, RDS). The games, arguably the most important for the Canadian national team for some years, will help determine if Canada advance to the hexagonal round of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.


Osorio did not select any MLS-based players for the roster, most notably LA Galaxy attacker Giovani Dos Santos, who has been sidelined by injury since the MLS season opener. The players selected represent a mix of Mexican-based and European-based players.


Full Roster


Goalkeepers (3): Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul/Mex), Alejandro Palacios (Pumas/Mex), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca/Mex)


Defenders (7): Paul Aguilar (América/Mex), Nestor Araujo (Santos Laguna/Mex), Yasser Corona (Queretaro/Mex), Miguel Layun (Porto/Portugal), Rafael Marquez (Atlas/Mex), Hector Moreno (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands), Diego Reyes (Real Sociedad/Spain)


Midfielders (6): Marco Fabian (Eintracht Frankfurt/Ger), Andres Guardado (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands), Hector Herrera (Porto/Por), Jesus Molina (Santos Laguna/Mex), Orbelin Pineda (Chivas/Mex), Rodolfo Pizarro (Pachuca/Mex)


Forwards (8): Javier Aquino (Tigres/Mex), Isaac Brizuela (Chivas/Mex), Jesus Corona (Porto/Por), Javier Hernandez (Bayer Leverkusen/Ger), Eduardo Herrera (Pumas/Mex), Raul Jimenez (Benfica/Por), Hirving Lozano (Pachuca/Mex), Candido Ramirez (Monterrey/Mex)