Meixco 1996-98 Home Matchworn Claudio Suárez 1996 Gold Cup Final
Mexico 2018 Home
Is there a more iconic football shirt? Known across the planet, this design, based on the Aztec calendar, almost defines Mexico shirts. It is a little bit bonkers, the whole front and rear covered in Mesoamerican design with the manufacturer’s name tessellated across it. Collar is plain but the sleeve cuffs have some minor detailing too and all the logos and numbers are felt (except for Mexico which is printed).
The design was subtly altered for the 1998 World Cup, this style of shirt being used in the 1996 Gold Cup and 1998 World Cup qualifiers. Mexico’s record cap holder Claudio Suárez wore this shirt in the 1996 Gold Cup final, where they beat Brazil to take the title, after beating Guatemala twice and St Vincent and the Grenadines. They qualified for the 1998 World Cup by getting through the final round as group runners-up (away losses in Honduras and Jamaica) but didn’t lose in the final round to top the group and qualify (4 wins, 6 draws).
Feels anticlimactic to move onto this shirt now, but it is nice. Jagged divide across the chest adds some style to the shirt and helps split up the different greens. There are a lot of colours across this shirt but they all work. While the split helps to highlight the FA logo, everything being centralised is annoying. Stripes across the front and a multi-coloured stripe across the back help to add to all the detail and colour.
Shirt was used in the 2014 World Cup, where two late goals from the Netherlands knocked them out in the Round of 16 after victories against Croatia and Cameroon along with a draw against hosts Brazil in the group stages.
The Mexican men have been at 16/21 World Cups, reaching the round of 16 in every World Cup since from 1994. They were banned from the 1990 World Cup, for using over-age players in youth tournaments. In the 1970 and 1986 World Cups they reached the quarter-finals, the furthest they’ve reached. From 24 Gold Cups they’ve won 11 titles from 22 appearances (banned and withdrew from 2), more than any other nation, last not reaching the semi-finals in 2005. From being invited to the Copa América they also have 2 runners-up and 3 further semi-finals.
The Mexican women’s side enjoys less dominance in the region, but still has 2 runners-up and 4 third place finishes to their name, reaching the group stages of 3 World Cups and the quarter-finals of the 2004 Olympics. Further achievements include a runners-up and 3 third places at the Pan American Games and both titles they’ve competed for in the Central American and Caribbean Games. 2 third places in the Cyprus Cup accompany a handful of middling Algarve Cup appearances. If anything their youth teams are even more successful than the senior sides, with titles including the 2012 Olympic Games, 1997 U20 World Cup runners-up, 2011 U20 World Cup third place (and 13 CONCACAF titles, 11 more than their closest competitor), 2 U17 World Cups, 2 U17 World Cup runners-up, 8 U17 titles and 1 U15 title. The women have been to 8 of 9 U20 World Cups (also qualified for 2021), have an U20 title, three 2nds and four 3rds, four U17 CONCACAF finals and 5 U17 World Cups (runners-up in 2018). They are just a team that win titles.
In comparison futsal has been a disappointment, with three 4th places and one 3rd leaving them with a single group stage appearance at the 2012 World Cup (3 losses). They’ve been to 6 of 10 beach soccer World Cups, finishing 2nd in their debut in 2007 but only escaping the groups once otherwise. They have won 4 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championships, finishing in the top 4 every time. Even when disappointing, they’re a force to be reckoned with.
Fully expected to qualify for 2022, they’ll be looking to make the quarter-finals and break their Round of 16 streak. Nothing less than knockout football will be expected though, the pressure will always be on, particularly in the cup before they partially host it.
Adam's National Shirt Collection 