Rafa Marquez, Chicharito and the 25 best Mexico players of the 21st century - ranked

The author of one of the most memorable goals in CONCACAF history, a stunning volley in extra time of a CONCACAF Cup contest that served as the play-in for the Confederations Cup, Aguilar had an underrated career with El Tri.

While goals weren’t his specialty - he scored only four others besides the CONCACAF Cup winner - earned more than 50 caps and was the locked-on right-back starter in the 2014 World Cup cycle - also appearing in the 2010 tournament in South Africa after emerging as an option with Pachuca. 

Since his exit from the national team, Mexico has struggled to find the same consistency at the right-back spot. 

Though less famous than his brother, Dos Santos made significant contributions to the Mexico national team, making double-digit appearances for El Tri in 2015, 2017 and 2021 on the road to 58 international appearances. He also played a key role in the 2019 Gold Cup triumph.

His ability to protect the back line and distribute accurately after winning the ball back also helped Mexico in a pair of World Cup qualification cycles.

While he never reached the heights of Gio in the international game, Jona is still playing with América and may have a better argument as the better player on the club level. When it’s all said and done, Dos Santos’ passion for his country and national team came through under multiple managers.

Known for his tremendous left-footed free kicks, Morales was more than just a set-piece specialist for Mexico.

Yet, his set pieces were pretty great. He scored six times for Mexico in 64 caps, and just two were from dead balls, but both were stunners. The best, a long-range effort in the 2004 Copa América that went straight into the upper 90, lifted El Tri to its first-ever win over Argentina in an official match. The other was in another historic win, with Mexico beating Brazil in the 2007 Copa América.

Beyond that, Morales was a dangerous attacker out wide but partnered well with other attackers, whether it was Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Sinha or other midfield threats. That’s why he played all four matches in the 2002 World Cup and saw two appearances in 2006.

Often overshadowed by his center-back partners, there’s a reason Francisco Javier Rodríguez, better known as "Maza" thanks to his Sinaloa hometown Mazatlán, was able to assemble a professional career that stretched 17 years - 11 of those including appearances for the Mexico national team.

In fact, Rodriguez’s consistency at the center-back position led to more than 100 caps for Mexico, notably playing every minute at both the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. He worked well with Rafa Marquez, Carlos Salcido, and other partners at the back as his 6-foot-4 frame complemented them well. He boosted Mexico’s aerial defending in a way that was missed as soon as his international career ended with a Gold Cup win in 2015.

Alvarez is a towering 6-foot-2 presence able to play in the midfield or as a center-back, and he’s done both for the Mexico national team. He is one of the few Mexico players currently in one of Europe’s top leagues, as the América product now starts consistently for West Ham United after a good stint with Ajax.

Alvarez quickly earned a place with the national team after his debut in 2017 and found himself a World Cup starter the next year in Russia. He was in tears after the final group game, having scored an own goal against Sweden, only to learn that Mexico still advanced from the group. Since then, he’s proven to be a leader for the team, helping El Tri to the 2019 Gold Cup title and to qualification in the 2022 cycle.

One of the only active players on the list, Alvarez has a chance to earn a much higher place. But an injury in the 2024 Copa América combined with Mexico’s frustrating form since 2018 mean he has work to do to leave a larger legacy.

A versatile defender able to play any place on the back line, Osorio is the type of player Mexico wishes it had more of in its player pool today. He rode his international success, plus his performances with Cruz Azul, to a move abroad where he became beloved in Stuttgart thanks to a Bundesliga title run in 2006-07.

His relationship with Mexico fans was rockier, with many frustrated by Osorio’s choice to opt out of the Copa América that summer - after already playing the Gold Cup that same year. And, he also missed a penalty in the 2005 Confederations Cup shootout with Argentina as the shootout went into sudden death. Still, his contributions were critical for Mexico during an eight-year period.

Osorio’s final career tally of 81 matches - including a pair of Gold Cup titles, the 2005 Confederations Cup run, and every match at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups - show just how valuable he was to the national team.

Despite playing during an era when Mexico had a number of top goalkeepers, Corona ended his national team career with more than 50 starts - notably running off a dozen in 2013 as the first-choice shot-stopper for much of the qualification cycle ahead of 2014 Brazil.

His biggest achievement may have been away from the senior team, as he backstopped the Olympic squad to its famous gold medal in London at the 2012 Olympics as one of the team’s overage players.

While not the best goalkeeper of his generation, punishing Corona for what was a standout career that produced one of Mexico’s most important soccer achievements seems silly - and he deserves his place among the best of this century.

When Lozano is on, he’s next to impossible to stop. That certainly was the case in 2018 when he scored his unforgettable goal against Germany in Moscow, opening the 2018 World Cup with a right-footed strike after his huge cutback and lifting Mexico to a 1-0 win.

He’s scored just 10 goals for Mexico since then, all but three of them in friendly matches. Scoring isn’t the only thing “Chucky” offers - he’s set up more goals in that time as well - but it’s an indication that he never was able to push past the heights he reached in the 2018 cycle, even as he went to Serie A and won trophies with Napoli.

There’s still time to increase his standing, but his international future is murky. Ideally, the 29-year-old will arrive at San Diego FC fresh and take advantage of less travel, plus a star role for the MLS expansion side and throw it back to 2018, potentially once again being the team’s shining star.

The all-time leader in appearances for Mexico until he was recently surpassed by Guardado, Suárez was a rock in the back line for Mexico 

Yet, an injury suffered with Tigres meant he was unable to head to Korea and Japan for the 2002 World Cup, and while he was on the roster for the 2006 tournament, manager La Volpe never called upon Suárez to come into a match. While Suarez was selected to three World Cups, he didn't not play in any this century -- playing in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups. He still participated in several key tournaments for El Tri, playing in the 2000 Gold Cup, the 2001 Confederations Cup and the 2004 Copa América. He also got some playing time in various friendlies.

“El Emperador” would certainly have a place higher on the list were we considering the entire body of work, but even with just six years of action in the 21st century, he deserves his place among the best.

Peralta had a standout club career, becoming a legend in his hometown of Torreón with Santos Laguna before moving to América and Chivas, but he also put in several superb years with the national team.

His greatest achievement was making very, very certain that Mexico would make the 2014 World Cup. Despite goals in five different qualification matches that cycle, “El Cepillo” was called in again during the intercontinental playoff against New Zealand. He delivered with a pair of goals in Mexico’s 5-1 first-leg romp, then a hat trick as El Tri booked its place in Brazil with a 4-2 win.

He also helped Mexico to Olympic gold glory as one of three overage players, plus lifted the 2015 Gold Cup after scoring four goals in the competition - albeit it was a hat trick against Cuba in the group stage before his goal in the final.

Another candidate in the long-standing debate about Mexico’s best-ever goalkeeper, Sanchez was a top shot-stopper for Mexico and left an imprint on the team in the 21st century. While many of his 99 Mexico caps (how did they not give this man one ceremonial call-up to hit 100?) were prior to 2000, his impact can't be ignored.

Even after the death of his father during the 2006 World Cup training camp, “San Oswaldo” returned to start at that tournament with La Volpe’s squad. He remained as Mexico's starter in the 2007 Gold Cup and Copa América. Despite playing most of World Cup qualification ahead of the 2010 World Cup, Javier Aguirre opted to go with Óscar “Conejo” Pérez in South Africa and didn’t take Sanchez.

Still, Sanchez was there when called upon and belongs in the debate with Campos, Ochoa, and Antonio Carbajal among Mexico's top keepers of this century.

Another member of the generation that secured the 2005 U-17 Championship in Peru and went on to great things, Moreno was a constant in the Mexico back line for years, racking up 132 appearances since his senior debut in 2007.

Moreno seemed destined for success with two of the most desired characteristics in a center back: He’s tall and he’s left-footed. That meant he often was the player on the left side of the Mexico back line, and often he was tasked with shutting down the opposition’s top forward threat.

He did so with gusto and ended his El Tri tenure with a pair of Gold Cup trophies, plus the Concacaf Cup and more than a decade of being one of the sternest defenders in the Americas.

It is difficult to place Vela on this list. When he played for the national team, he usually did very well. Getting Vela back in the squad for the 2018 cycle was a big coup for manager Juan Carlos Osorio, as Vela was perhaps the best attacker in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He scored a goal in the victory against Korea after putting in three and setting up several more during World Cup qualification.

But even though he earned 79 caps for the senior national team, it could’ve been many more had he opted to suit up for the national team between the 2010 World Cup and the 2014 tournament. Instead, because of disputes with the federation and others involved, he stayed away.

His excellent showings before and after the break will always have Mexico fans wondering what might have been had he suited up his entire career. Even so, his body of work is impressive enough for him to go down as one of the best.

Jimenez is overshadowed by Chicharito, but he returns to Javier Aguirre's 2024 October friendlies roster already a Mexico legend. He scored in some of the biggest moments - notably his bicycle kick stunner against Panama in the 2014 World Cup qualification cycle that ensured Mexico would remain in the hunt. But that was only one of 30-plus goals with the Mexico national team.

Tall, mobile, and willing to try bold shots (even from the penalty spot where his record is gorgeous even if his strange pre-kick hop isn’t), Jimenez carved out his place in the senior national team after winning Olympic gold in 2012. Less than a year later, he was playing in the Confederations Cup and was a late addition to the 2013 Gold Cup roster - but then started every match.

Jimenez is hoping to get on the 2026 World Cup roster and score his first-ever goal at the top tournament, but he's already done enough to go down as one of Mexico’s best this century.

Pardo is a leader. It’s one of the first things that comes to mind when thinking about the long-time Mexico midfielder. By the time the year 2000 rolled around, he was halfway through his 146-cap Mexico career - one that saw him captain Mexico for quite some time and win tournaments like the Confederations Cup and the Gold Cup. 

In addition to his leadership, Pardo was an exceptional player who helped Mexico control matches. He contributed offensively, delivering beautiful free kicks, while also providing support defensively when needed.

Many of his biggest achievements with El Tri came before the 21st century, but he was very relevant after as well. He played in the 2006 World Cup, and the 2007 Gold Cup and even helped Mexico qualify for South Africa before his international retirement.

Torrado didn’t let much past him. Whether he had to commit a cheeky foul, make a risky tackle that often resulted in him winning the ball, or gut out a late-match run to cover for a teammate, the defensive midfielder could destroy opposing attacks with the best of them.

The “Borrego” scored six goals for Mexico as well, including a World Cup goal in 2002 against Ecuador. That was never his forte, he was more than a simple destroyer Torrado also was a tone-setter for Mexico and became one of the team’s typical captains.

He won a pair of Gold Cups along with the 1999 Confederations Cup and became a symbol for Mexico. He is still working in the game, currently working as Tigres' Sporting Director after a spell as the national team’s general sporting director.

Why does Herrera still feel underrated? Perhaps he was overshadowed by some of his international teammates. Or maybe fans never recognized how impressive his week-in, week-out showings for Porto were, being at a UEFA Champions League squad but not in one of Europe's top leagues. Perhaps his consistency was taken for granted.

Whatever it was, Mexico still misses the presence Herrera brought to the midfield when he was in his prime, serving as that conductor who could push the tempo when needed or take the air out of a game that Mexico needed to slow down its opponents.

Herrera was another member of Mexico’s gold medal-winning team and also lifted the 2015 Gold Cup. Despite El Tri finishing second in the 2021 Gold Cup, he was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player—one of many accolades he received from coaches, technical directors, and other observers who regard him as one of Mexico’s best players of this century.

Dos Santos’ club managers might have a different opinion, but when he donned the green shirt of El Tri, something changed for Gio.

Whether it was the iconic “Fírmala, Gio! Fírmala!” goal that secured the 2011 Gold Cup title, his opening strike in the infamous “No Era Penal” match against the Netherlands at the 2014 World Cup, or the stunning goal he scored against Brazil in a 2012 friendly, he consistently reached a different level on the international stage.

Gio represented Mexico over 100 times, earning 10 or more caps in a single year for five different years throughout his decade-long national team career.

In addition to his accomplishments at the senior level, he also was the star player on Mexico’s historic 2005 U-17 World Championship-winning squad and helped his country to Olympic gold in 2012.

Until he was surpassed by Chicharito, Borgetti was Mexico’s all-time leading scorer. And he still maintains the best goals-per-game average of any player in the top 10 on the scoring charts - with 46 goals in just 89 caps. He might have been the best aerial threat Mexico has ever seen, including Chicharito.

Borgetti started his international career in 1997, but scored all but one of his 46 goals in the 21st century, getting into a scoring rhythm ahead of the 2002 World Cup. Qualification for the 2006 tournament was where he often shined, leading all scorers around the world with 14 goals in the lead-up to the main event in Germany. But there were goals on the biggest stages as well, with a pair of goals in the 2002 World Cup including a shocking back-post header to beat Gianluigi Buffon and open the scoring in a 1-1 draw with Italy. A year earlier, he scored the opener against Uruguay in the semifinal of the 2001 Copa American to help Mexico secure a place in the final, where they suffered a hard-fought 1-0 defeat to Colombia.

For years, when Mexico needed a goal, they turned to Borgetti. More often than not, he delivered.

A versatile defender who also played in the midfield, Salcido played for Mexico for a full two decades. He debuted with El Tri in the Fall of 2004 and already was a locked-in starter the next year when Mexico went to the Confederations Cup. 

Next came the 2006 World Cup, the first of three World Cups he would participate in. By 2014, however, he was only coming in during emergency situations. His longevity is a testament to his status as a key player for Mexico, culminating in 123 caps and a gold medal as one of three overage players at the 2012 Olympics.

In addition to the trophies and the high-profile appearances with Mexico, Salcido was another successful example to many Mexicans that success with European clubs was possible as he assembled a strong career with PSV and spent a year with Fulham before returning to Mexico. 

An absolute magician on the ball who wore his emotions on his sleeve and resonated with fans, there is no doubt Cuauhtémoc Blanco is one of the greatest to dress for the national team.

He dribbled past defenders, scored goals, and set up teammates. Blanco scored in the 2002 World Cup, the 2007 Gold Cup, and 2007 Copa América. He helped El Tri to the 2010 World Cup and, once there, wrapped his career with a goal against France in Mexico’s historic Group Stage triumph over Les Bleus. 

His brash nature also may have cost him. Blanco was left off of the 2006 World Cup when Ricardo La Volpe opted to leave him at home, after months of butting heads. As soon as a Jesús Ramírez came in to replace La Volpe, Blanco was back - and why wouldn’t he be? He ended his Mexico career with 119 caps, scoring 38 times to put him third on the all-time list along with numerous assists.

There will be plenty who have Blanco even higher on their lists. The potential for him to have been higher was there, but many of his brightest moments came before the turn of the century. Missing out on the 2006 World Cup made it hard to put him into the top three even with the highs of South Africa in 2010.

No player has appeared in more matches for Mexico, with 179 caps, and few players have had a better career with El Tri than Guardado.

Guardado's talent was evident from the start, he was part of Mexico's 2006 squad at just 20 and quickly became a regular. His ability to play multiple positions at the club level was an even bigger gift for Mexico, and Guardado was deployed as a wingback, a winger, and a fullback.

Later in his career, he settled into his most frequent place in midfield. There he kept the tempo for the national team, but still got forward often to help in attack, ending his career with 28 goals - nearly half of which came in the back half of his national team career.

Guardado is still active, playing with León, and will be honored by Mexico in October, but it might take more time for newer El Tri fans to fully appreciate what made Guardado special.

Now 39, Ochoa has fallen out of favor with some Mexico fans who are ready for a change. But his critics were cheering his name for years and years, as Ochoa back-stopped El Tri to some of their biggest victories. 

While he ended up on the bench at the 2010 World Cup, Ochoa was Mexico’s No. 1 for more than a decade. His finest moments came in the 2014 World Cup when he denied Neymar and Brazil with several brilliant saves in a 0-0 draw on Brazilian soil, and then nearly kept the Dutch at bay in the infamous “No Era Penal” match in the quarterfinals.

That was the peak of Ochoa’s powers, but he stayed near that level even years after, turning in another star showing at the 2018 World Cup, notably keeping a clean sheet in the famous tournament-opening victory against defending champions Germany. And four years later, he stopped Robert Lewandowski’s penalty to give Mexico a chance to beat Poland and up with a 0-0 draw -- though the team's subsequent elimination took some of the luster off that sterling performance.  

There will always be debates about who reigns as Mexico’s best goalkeeper ever, but Ochoa is in the discussion and certainly tops the list in the 21st century.

Hernández is Mexico’s all-time leading scorer with 52 goals, opening his account early by scoring two goals in his second cap and adding more goals often when wearing the green shirt of the national team.

Chicharito has had some incredible moments for El Tri. He scored a memorable opening goal against France in the 2010 World Cup and bookended his national team career with a goal in the 2018 World Cup with a goal against South Korea in Mexico’s second group contest. In between, he scored at the 2014 World Cup, in Gold Cups and Confederations Cups, in qualifiers, and in one-off tournaments like the CONCACAF Cup and the Copa América Centenario.

Able to catch defenders off guard with his movement in the box and find a goal from nothing, he scored nearly every other match with Mexico en route to 52 goals in 109 appearances. Still active with Chivas but plagued by injuries, it appears unlikely his dream of a national team return will come true. Yet, very few can rival Chicharito's production for his country - and he’s in the conversation as one of the top three all-time El Tri players of the 21st century as a result.

A five-time World Cup veteran who was the heart and soul of the Mexico national team during 21 years wearing the green shirt, Marquez is clearly the best Mexico player of the 21st century. 

While he was a shut-down defender, he was comfortable in tight spaces, as we often say about shifty attackers. Marquez needed just the smallest glimpse of the ball to take it away and put Mexico back in transition. He controlled the air and used his body to make sure attackers wouldn’t be able to get into spaces where they’d be able to hurt Mexico.

While a defender first, and someone who made the sweeper role cool again, he also could move into the midfield, sometimes then dropping between the center backs to allow them to push out and give the team width. Or he could even be an attacking weapon, scoring 17 times in his Mexico career, notably popping up at the back post for a goal against Argentina at the 2006 World Cup and again at the 2014 World Cup, heading in a corner kick against Croatia in the group stage. 

While we’re considering only what Marquez did in a Mexico shirt, who he was for Mexico on the international club stage is also key to his legacy. Marquez won almost everywhere he went: Monaco, Barcelona, León - and that status was important to him. He sacrificed a promising managerial career with Barca’s B team to rejoin Mexico as an assistant coach and try to develop the youth. They certainly have a good example to follow.