Ramón Ramírez, midfielder for Chivas USA and a former Mexican national team player who played in the 1994 and '98 World Cup, knows clearly the pressures of players in Germany. For "El Nayarita", the Mexican team has a real chance to impress, but they cannot relax.
1. As a player with years of experience in the Mexican National Team, how do you think "el Tri" will do in Germany?
Ramon Ramirez: Their chances seem to be better than ever. However, in a World Cup there are always upsets and therefore Mexico cannot be overconfident.
2. As the expectations are high for Mexico, will they be able to withstand the pressure? As a player, how do you support the pressure of an entire nation?
RR: When a player walks onto the field, he can't think about anything other than the game. Mexico is going to have play through that pressure but at the same time, they are far from the only team that has such high expectations. Every team is experiencing the same thing. I think that expectations for Mexico have been raised thanks largely to their performance in the FIFA Confederations Cup.
3. How would you compare the American player of today to that which you saw when you first began playing against the United States? How do you think MLS has helped the U.S. national team?
RR: The American soccer player has experienced an impressive growth although it perhaps took a long time. In these days, the American player can play at the highest level. Without a doubt, I think that MLS has greatly helped soccer in the U.S. MLS is the foundation of soccer in this country.
4. In your opinion, who are the two or three midfielders that will shine during the World Cup? Who are those that can really change the course of the game?
RR: I think that there are many players that would qualify. However, I would say that [Brazil's] Ronaldinho and [Portugal's] Cristiano Ronaldo are the two that will have the most impact thanks to their amazing ability with the ball. Luis Perez from Mexico is another player that is very skilled and will play a big role for his team.
5. Some say that fewer teams today count on a classic number "10". Are you in agreement with that idea? Why don't we see as many players like that as we did in the past?
RR: I think that there are fewer No. 10s, but to be honest I like it because it means that a game relies less on one individual. Instead, a team must share the responsibility. However, I still like to see games where one player has the ability to shine with the ball.
6. Who is your favorite to win the World Cup? Is there a team that will be the surprise team of the tournament?
RR: Brazil is always the number one favorite without a doubt. I think that two teams that will go far are the Czech Republic and Mexico.
