MEXICO NATIONAL TEAM
Why could players ‘walk out’ on Diego Cocca and Mexico before the 2023 Gold Cup?
Reports suggest that some players are deeply unhappy with the Tri head coach following the heavy Nations League defeat to the USMNT.
The Mexican national team are in a state of crisis, there can be no getting away from it. After being knockout out of the Concacaf Nations League by bitter rivals the United States, some members of the roster are ready to walk out on Diego Cocca after Sunday’s third place playoff against Panama and would refuse to play in the 2023 Gold Cup.
Mexico players deeply unhappy with Cocca
According to TUDN journalist Gibrán Araige, two players are deeply unhappy with the current national team set-up and are on the verge of quitting El Tri following their final fixture in this year’s Nations League, a competition Mexico have yet to win since its inception.
The players would leave the Mexico camp on Monday in protest at the way the way the team have been performing since Cocca took charge after the World Cup, which they see as a continuation of the debacle that saw El Tri knocked out of the tournament in Qatar in the group stage with former coach Gerardo ‘Tato’ Martino in the dugout.
Mexico humiliated by the USMNT
Although Argentine Cocca had gone into Thursday’s game against the USMNT unbeaten since taking over, results and performances hadn’t been at all convincing. A heavy 3-0 defeat to the Stars and Stripes in a controversial clash means Mexico will be involved in the game that nobody wants to play: the Concacaf Nations League third-place playoff against Panama on Sunday.