Quirarte on Jiménez and Tecatito: It would be a mistake to take them to World Cup

Ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, Fernando Quirarte is aware that in a competition as big as a World Cup, a coach can not afford to take players who are not one hundred percent fit, and therefore players like Raúl Jiménez and Jesus Corona should have no place in the list of 26 players.

“Of course it would be a mistake to take them in these conditions. I think that in a World Cup you can’t take anyone at 80, 70 or 60 per cent,” he said in an interview with ESPN.

Quirarte explained that there was no time to wait for the players to recover from their respective. “They’re players who haven’t played in a long time, they’re coming back from injury and there’s no way they’re going to be put in. There’s no time and in a World Cup. There’s no time to see how you are with an injury, taking someone to a World Cup in that condition would be a waste and very risky for the Mexican national team,” he said.

Martín should start for Mexico

When asked about the Mexico forward line, he indicated that the best player to start against Poland is Henry Martín, the América forward being in better form than Rogelio Funes Mori, who is coming back from an injury.

“For me the starter has to be Henry [Martín]. Funes Mori will surely be at the tournament, but will be a doubt. For me for what he has shown so far and with the injury he has had, I would not start him,” he said.

Mexico head coach Gerardo Martino is expected to announce his list of 26 players for the World Cup in Qatar on Monday 14 November.