The Forgotten XI: Players Overlooked by Rafa Márquez and Mexico

Rafa Márquez’s era began in October, but it seems Mexico are still struggling to move on from what Javier Aguirre built during the 2026 World Cup. Despite reaching the Round of 16, El Tri had something that went beyond results: a team that inspired excitement, connected with fans and generated genuine optimism. Even people who weren’t particularly interested in football found themselves getting swept up in the national team’s momentum.

Now, everything feels different.

Aguirre is gone, Márquez has taken over after serving as his assistant, and that spark, that connection with the fans, seems to have disappeared.

Mexico failed to win any of their first four matches under Márquez. All four were played in the United States, continuing the familiar trend of staging Mexico friendlies north of the border. But it also meant missing an opportunity to reconnect with the Mexican public, the same fans who packed the Estadio Azteca, filled the Angel of Independence and turned the Fan Fest and the streets of Mexico City into one giant celebration during the World Cup.

After failing to secure a single victory in his first four games, questions and criticism have started to emerge. Is Márquez really the man to lead this team into the 2030 World Cup? Or will this project fall apart before it even gets going?

Now comes another opportunity to change the narrative. Mexico face Jamaica in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, with the first leg taking place this Saturday in Kingston and the return leg scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, at Estadio Monterrey in northern Mexico.

Nations League Roster Questions

But Márquez’s latest squad announcement has once again raised eyebrows.

It brings back memories of his October selection, when he called up Hirving Lozano and Germán Berterame. After the 2026 World Cup, many expected Mexico to turn the page, move on from some of its veterans and open the door for a new generation led by the likes of Gilberto Mora. Instead, some familiar faces continue to pop up, raising questions about whether a genuine new cycle is actually underway.

Lozano and Berterame have been left out this time, but Alexis Vega and Julián Quiñones are back. Quiñones missed the October international window through injury and was one of Mexico’s biggest stars during the World Cup. There is also a rather unexpected name in the squad: Armando León, a player who remains virtually unknown to much of Mexican football.

In goal, Márquez has once again opted for Oscar García of León, Alex Padilla of Athletic Club and Raúl Rangel of Chivas.

And that’s where things get interesting. Because while some players continue to receive opportunities, others have seemingly fallen off the national team’s radar.

So, we’ve put together an XI of players who appear to have been forgotten by the Mexico national team. Some have legitimate reasons to be missing, others have questions to answer, and a few might have a case for being back in the picture.

The Forgotten XI: Players who deserve another look from Mexico

Goalkeeper: Luis Ángel Malagón (Club América

Before suffering an Achilles tendon rupture in a Concacaf Champions Cup match that ruled him out of the World Cup, Malagón was widely expected to be Mexico’s starting goalkeeper at the tournament. That’s what makes his absence from this squad particularly surprising. He has recovered, returned to action with América and is gradually finding his rhythm again, yet Márquez has decided to look elsewhere.

Is Malagón currently better than Raúl Rangel? That’s certainly debatable. But is he a more convincing option than Oscar García of León? There’s a pretty strong argument to be made.

After everything he went through to get back on the pitch, perhaps a little recognition wouldn’t hurt.

Defender: Ramón Juárez (América)

Fast-forward to today, and things have changed dramatically.

He lost ground in América’s defensive pecking order under André Jardine and hasn’t managed to reclaim his place under Guillermo Almada either. Right now, a potential exit from América looks considerably more realistic than a return to the national team.

Defender: Jorge Sánchez (Atlas)

Some people will argue that Jorge Sánchez only made it to the World Cup because Mexico were dealing with injuries to Rodrigo Huescas and Julián Araujo.

Now that Huescas is fit and back in the squad, Sánchez has been left out.

Perhaps Márquez simply prefers other options. Still, Sánchez has international experience and could offer something different on the right side of the defense. Apparently, experience doesn’t count for much when the new boss starts rearranging the furniture.

Defender: Alejandro Gómez (Xolos)

Alejandro Gómez was part of Javier Aguirre’s final preparations before the World Cup and even made it to the list of players who were considered right up until the final cuts. There was genuine talk that he could be one of the surprise inclusions in the squad.

That never happened, and since being left out, Gómez hasn’t received another call-up under Márquez. He was also absent from both international windows. For someone who was so close to making the World Cup, disappearing from the conversation altogether feels like quite a fall.

Defender: Everardo López (Toluca)

López was another defender who featured in Aguirre’s final preparations and was considered a potential surprise for the World Cup squad. Márquez did give him an opportunity during the October international window, suggesting he remained on his radar. But now that the squad is closer to full strength, López has been dropped.

With a crucial Nations League tie against Jamaica coming up, it’s difficult not to wonder why a player who was recently considered part of the project has suddenly disappeared.

Midfielder: Edson Álvarez (West Ham)

This is perhaps the most complicated case on the entire list.

Edson Álvarez, Mexico’s captain, has played just once for West Ham this semester following the club’s relegation to the Championship. It’s unclear whether he has fallen out of favor with the coaching staff, whether he is struggling to find his place in the team or whether other issues are keeping him away from the pitch. Whatever the explanation, the Mexican midfielder has endured a difficult few months and hasn’t exactly been a regular presence in the football conversation since the World Cup.

Márquez has decided not to include him for these two matches.

Perhaps he’ll return for the Nations League Finals if Mexico manage to get past Jamaica, but right now, his situation is far from encouraging. For a player who wore the captain’s armband at the World Cup, this is quite the disappearing act.

Midfielder: Brian Gutiérrez (Chivas)

Still, the midfielder hasn’t received a single call-up under Márquez since the World Cup. For someone who was trusted by Aguirre on football’s biggest stage, that’s a pretty dramatic change in circumstances. At the moment, Gutiérrez seems to have fallen completely off the new coaching staff’s radar.

Midfielder: Luis Chávez (Dynamo Moscow)

Luis Chávez appears to have lost his place in Dynamo Moscow’s plans. There have been several weeks in which the Mexican midfielder hasn’t been considered, and that lack of playing time has inevitably affected his chances with the national team. He had limited involvement under Aguirre during the World Cup and was also part of Márquez’s first international window in October.

Unfortunately, his situation in Russia hasn’t improved.

It’s difficult to justify calling up a player who isn’t getting regular minutes at club level, but Chávez’s technical quality and ability to dictate the tempo are still valuable assets. If he can get his career back on track, he could become an option again.

Midfielder: Diego Lainez (Tigres)

He came incredibly close to making the 2026 squad, but ultimately missed out. There were reports of disciplinary issues and suggestions that he wasn’t particularly favored by Javier Aguirre.

The frustrating part is that Lainez had finally started showing signs of the football everyone had been waiting for. Just when it looked like he was finding his feet, the World Cup squad was announced without him.

Will Márquez give him another opportunity? That’s still an open question, although his absence suggests his time with the national team may be running out.

Forward: Guillermo Martínez (Tigres)

One of the most controversial selections in Mexico’s World Cup squad, Guillermo Martínez’s inclusion was difficult for many fans to understand. He was heavily criticized before the tournament, and his performances did little to silence those doubts. He hasn’t been called up by Márquez either, and it’s difficult to see how he could force his way back into the picture.

With Armando González, Santiago Giménez, Raúl Jiménez, Julián Quiñones and even Germán Berterame competing for attacking positions, Martínez faces an uphill battle. His physical presence and height gave him an advantage when Aguirre was putting together his squad, but his World Cup contribution was hardly memorable.

Making the World Cup squad is an achievement. Making people remember what you did there is another matter entirely.

Forward: Henry Martín (América)

But things have changed. The América striker is enjoying a strong Apertura 2026 campaign, with 11 goals to his name, and his return to El Tri was widely expected.

Yet Márquez has left him out once again.

There have also been reports of a disagreement between Martín and the national team coaching staff, allegedly after the striker refused to accept a substitute role during a previous call-up. If those reports are accurate, his absence might have less to do with football and more to do with a relationship that hasn’t been repaired.

For now, it seems that as long as Márquez is in charge, Henry Martín’s chances of returning to Mexico could be limited.

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