From Tala Rangel’s rise to Santiago Gimenez’s slide: Mexico stock up, stock down ahead of the Round of 32

After two group-stage matches, Raúl "Tala" Rangel ranked among the World Cup leaders in accurate long balls, with 16. It was another sign of how much the Chivas goalkeeper has improved in that area since making his first-division debut in 2023.

His game with the ball is not yet at the level of Ederson or Manuel Neuer, two goalkeepers who became central to Pep Guardiola's best teams, but Rangel's consistency has allowed his passing to become an integral part of El Tri's buildup.

Better yet, his double save against South Korea to seal the three points in Guadalajara showed he can still deliver the kind of classic goalkeeping moment Mexico need at a World Cup. Add that to the fact El Tri have conceded only two goals in 2026, and the feeling is clear: Mexico may finally have found Guillermo Ochoa's successor.

The fact Guillermo "Memote" Martínez started ahead of Santiago Giménez against Czechia said plenty about where the AC Milan striker stands right now.

Although he earned minutes off the bench against South Korea and Czechia, Giménez's best form still feels far away. For a striker, confidence usually comes through goals, and with El Tri, he has not had enough clear chances to rebuild that rhythm. Against Czechia, he had one clear chance and could not convert.

That does not mean Giménez is out of the picture. His quality is still there, and his club career speaks for itself. But heading into the knockout rounds, it seems Armando "Hormiga" González and Martínez are ahead of him as Aguirre's preferred scoring options off the bench.

Former Mexico manager and current TUDN analyst Juan Carlos Osorio highlighted the way Aguirre has used Roberto Alvarado during the World Cup.

In the opening match against South Africa, Alvarado completed six recoveries and won nine ground duels. Against South Korea, his defensive influence was not as overwhelming, but he still contributed two recoveries and three clearances.

Osorio said: "If Aguirre wanted to show us how to build a back five by dropping the winger, he's done it. No other team does it."

Alvarado has worked tirelessly to fulfill two roles. He assisted in the win over South Africa and has continued searching for his own goal, but his value goes beyond the final action. His influence has grown with each match, and that is why Aguirre kept him on the field against Czechia. His presence is vital.

Alexis Vega entered this cycle as one of the players who seemed capable of carrying real attacking weight for Mexico. His importance during the 2025 Gold Cup reminded everyone of what he can offer when he is confident: personality on the ball, creativity in tight spaces and the ability to produce a decisive moment.

But this World Cup has not unfolded the way he would have imagined. Vega has hardly played, and as others have collected meaningful minutes, his role has become harder to define. Quiñones has delivered goals, Alvarado has become essential to Aguirre's structure, and the younger players in the squad have pushed the internal competition even higher.

This is not a case of Vega playing poorly. Far from it. He remains a valuable presence in the group and one of the players who can help maintain the energy Aguirre has rebuilt within the national team. But his influence on the field is not where he hoped it would be, and heading into the Round of 32, he looks more like a supporting player than a central figure.

Before the match against South Korea in Guadalajara, Edson Álvarez made sure to stop on the sidelines to greet two important figures in his career: Juan Carlos Osorio and Ricardo La Volpe. Osorio handed him his senior national team debut, while La Volpe gave him his professional debut with Club América.

Those two managers saw something in a young Álvarez that has become central to this version of El Tri. Against South Korea, he showed it again.

Álvarez finished the match with a 91 percent passing accuracy rate, completed all of his dribbles, won all of his ground duels and won all of his aerial duels.

Before the World Cup began, few would have imagined Aguirre using Álvarez, Erik Lira and Luis Romo in the same XI, but it worked. Álvarez's experience and leadership will matter even more in the knockout rounds, and at this point, his place in the starting lineup feels almost assured.