Which striker will lead Mexico’s attack at the FIFA World Cup?
The coach of El Tri, Gerardo Martino, is having trouble choosing a first-choice striker for the campaign.
The pressure keeps mounting on Mexico manager Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino due to the poor results over the past two years. One of Martino’s main problems is who will be the starting striker for El Tri during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Raúl Jiménez has suffered a knee injury and he will be out for almost eight weeks.
The 31-year-old has struggled to regain peak form since recovering from a fractured skull he suffered in November 2020 and Martino has not been able to find a striker that can fill in for Jiménez. The Mexican national team will play five friendlies before traveling to Qatar in November and that will be the last opportunity for several players to secure a spot on Martino’s roster for the World Cup.
Henry Martín
The Club América striker has been in peak form since the start of the 2022 Apertura tournament in Liga MX. Henry Martín has scored six goals in the past five games across all competitions. The 29-year-old scored a brace over the weekend in América’s 2-1 win over Juárez at Estadio Azteca to give his team the much-needed three points.
Martín was a key player in Club América’s tour in the United States this summer and he scored against top-tier European clubs. The Mexico international found the back of the net when the Liga MX side played a friendly against Manchester City and Real Madrid. Martín could be the best option for Martino if he keeps scoring goals for Club América.
Rogelio Funes Mori
The Argentina native decided to represent the Mexico national team and he has earned the trust of Gerardo Martino. Funes Mori has recovered from an injury he suffered in March and he has been a key player for Monterrey this season. The 31-year-old notched four goals in the Liga MX tournament but he has failed to find the back of the net in the last three games. Funes Mori missed a penalty on matchday seven when Monterrey defeated Club León 5-1 earlier this month.
Santiago Giménez
The 21-year-old has been a goal-scoring machine for Cruz Azul this tournament and he recently signed with Eredivisie side Feyenoord. Giménez managed to score five goals before leaving Liga MX, but his challenge now is earning minutes with his new club.