Post by Jep Gambardella on Jun 29, 2018 18:14:03 GMT
In the last six World Cups, Mexico has always succeeded in advancing to the knockout rounds (something that only one other country - Brazil - can boast of), but each time they got sent home at the very next round. The only time they managed to clear that hurdle was when they hosted the tournament 32 years ago. Is this the year they break the round-of-16 barrier? Not looking very likely...
1994 - Mexico finishes first in a tough group with Italy, Ireland and Norway, only to lose to Bulgaria on penalties in the round of 16.
1998 - Mexico gets second place in the group ahead of Belgium and promptly lose to Germany in the next round.
2002 - Mexico tops the group ahead of Italy and the 3rd place on the previous World Cup (Croatia), then loses to arch-rivals USA in the round of 16.
2006 - Mexico takes 2nd place in an easy group (behind Portugal and ahead of Angola and Iran), but are drawn against Argentina in the first knockout game and, well, get knocked out.
2010 - Mexico advances in second place, ahead of former champions France, but are again defeated by Argentina right afterwards.
2014 - Mexico again manages to advance in a relatively difficult group (hosts Brazil, Croatia and Cameroon), are paired up with Holland, score first, allow an equalizer at the 88th minute and then concede a second goal in a penalty deep into injury time.
2018 - Mexico wastes a golden chance to finish first in the group after winning their first two matches and need the unlikely help of South Korea to advance in second place, which gets them the prize of having to face Brazil in the round of 16.
