Overview
- Mexico announced its 26-player squad on Monday through an FMF audiovisual presentation that used an authorized recreation of Chespirito’s voice and confirmed goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa will appear at a sixth World Cup.
- The Mexican roster keeps 12 players from Qatar 2022, a blend of returning veterans and new faces that has drawn scrutiny from fans and former players over several notable absences.
- Paraguay’s coach Gustavo Alfaro also published his 26-player list, reviving the team’s World Cup return with a squad heavily drawn from the Argentine and domestic leagues.
- Selection decisions produced immediate reactions on social media and in broadcast commentary, including Mauro Lainez reposting criticism after Diego Lainez’s omission and Rubens Sambueza arguing that Charly Rodríguez should replace naturalized Álvaro Fidalgo.
- Public forecasts are multiplying ahead of the June 11 tournament start with individual seers such as Michael Bruno predicting Portugal to win and institutional models and AIs offering competing upset candidates and match-by-match projections.