Rafael Márquez takes charge of México on Saturday in Baltimore with 11 players aged 23 or younger on his roster.
Rafael Márquez debuts as México head coach on Saturday against Colombia in Baltimore, opening a four-match international window focused on evaluating young talent.
The fixture begins a three-week break across international soccer, with most club leagues pausing until Oct. 9. México and the United States are both using the window to begin preparations for the 2030 World Cup after co-hosting the tournament’s previous edition.
Youth movement for El Tri
Márquez selected 11 players aged 23 or younger for his first camp, with 17-year-old Gilberto Mora standing as the youngest in the squad. Winger Hugo Camberos, 19, earned his first senior call-up alongside fellow Chivas teenager Santiago Sandoval. The pair combined for seven goal contributions in August as México won the Concacaf under-20 championship and qualified for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Both Camberos and Sandoval are regular starters for Chivas. Márquez recently attended a Chivas training session and named six players from the Guadalajara club to his roster, following a summer where Chivas had five players on México’s World Cup squad.
Matchups and a refreshed U.S. squad
After facing Colombia, México plays Peru in New Jersey before meeting the United States on Oct. 3 in Glendale, Arizona. U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino also embraced a youthful roster after signing a contract through the 2030 World Cup. Pochettino omitted Christian Pulisic, picked no players over 30, and included 12 potential debutants and seven teenagers.
Among the American selections are 16-year-old Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan, who agreed to join Manchester City at 18, and 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund winger Mathis Albert. The U.S. plays Peru in Orlando, Chile in St. Louis, México in Arizona, and Canada in St. Paul during the break.
México will finish its four-game slate on Oct. 6 against Chile at the Rose Bowl. That same day, Argentina plays Benin in Buenos Aires in a farewell match for Lionel Messi, capping a window where new managers also take charge of France, Germany, Portugal and the Netherlands.
