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Mexico national football team

The Mexico national football team represents Mexico in men's international association football and is governed by the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Mexico national football team represents Mexico in men's international association football and is governed by the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol. Commonly known as El Tri or El Tricolor, the team competes in CONCACAF and has qualified for multiple FIFA World Cups, winning the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup.

History

The team has been a long-standing member of international football and has made repeated FIFA World Cup appearances. Available source material indicates Mexico reached the quarter-finals in 1970 and 1986 and won the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1999.

Identity

Mexico is widely identified by the nicknames El Tri and El Tricolor, which refer to the green, white, and red colours associated with the national flag and team kit.

Competitive record

Mexico is one of CONCACAF’s most established national teams and has regularly qualified for the FIFA World Cup. Source material also notes 21 major titles and a FIFA ranking around 10th in July 2026.

Home venue

The team’s principal home ground is Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, one of football’s best-known stadiums.

Key facts

  • Mexico’s men’s national team is the senior international side for Mexico.
  • The team is nicknamed El Tri, a reference to its tricolour kit and national colours.
  • Mexico’s record appearance holder is Andrés Guardado with 180 caps.
  • Its leading scorer is Javier Hernández with 52 goals.
  • The team’s home stadium is Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
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Canadian context

Mexico is a major CONCACAF rival and frequent opponent for Canada in regional competitions and World Cup qualifying, making the team especially relevant to Canadian football readers.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Mexico national football team?
It is Mexico’s senior men’s international association football team, administered by the FMF.
Why is the team called El Tri?
El Tri is short for El Tricolor, referring to Mexico’s three national colours and the team’s traditional kit.
Who coaches Mexico?
The listed head coach is Rafael Márquez.
Who is Mexico’s all-time top scorer?
Javier Hernández, with 52 goals.
Who has the most caps for Mexico?
Andrés Guardado, with 180 appearances.
Where does Mexico play home matches?
The principal home stadium listed is Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico_national_football_team
    Supports: Nickname, association, confederation, coach, captain, most caps, top scorer, home stadium, FIFA code
  2. ESPN — https://www.espn.com/soccer/team/_/id/203/mexico
    Supports: Team profile and competitive context
  3. Wikipedia (Spanish) — https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selecci%C3%B3n_de_f%C3%BAtbol_de_M%C3%A9xico
    Supports: FIFA ranking, titles won, finals played, stadium
  4. U.S. Soccer — https://ussoccer.com/stories/2018/09/five-things-to-know-about-mexico
    Supports: Meaning of El Tri / El Tricolor and kit colours
  5. Wikipedia (French) — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89quipe_du_Mexique_de_football
    Supports: World Cup quarter-final appearances and Confederations Cup title