The current squad has plenty of international experience with Gabriel Caballero and Miguel Calero (although with Atlético Nacional at the time) having been on World Cup Squads in 2002 for Mexico and 1998 for Colombia respectively. Nowadays there are Leo López and Jaime Correa working to be in the Mexico national team setup with a few caps to their name. Gerardo Rodríguez has received a cap for Mexico as well. We also have players from other national teams like Édgar Benítez (Paraguay), Francisco Torres (United States) and Blas Pérez (Panama) having received recent callups from their NT's.
Leobardo López, José María Cárdenas and Paul Nicolás Aguilar each received a call-up to the Mexican national team for their midweek match against Bolivia. http://www.mediotiempo.com/noticia/76152/felices-defensas-tuzos-por-ir-al-tri/
Has Gimenez ever played for Argentina in international competition? If not, how far below the national team is his skill level (he seems to be the best player in LM)....
Never for the senior Argentine NT, not sure about youth squads. As far as I'm concerned Giménez has enough of a skill level to at least be given a call up. In my opinion Chaco is more of a player than say a Mauro Rosales or César Delgado who play similar positions and have been on their NT (although not recently). In encouraging news, Maradona has said that he's been keeping an eye on Federico Vilar who also plays in the Mexican league so maybe there's still a small chance for Giménez to receive a call from Maradona. Since Argentina has so much talent perhaps Christian could feature in one of their lower-profile friendlies?
Chaco, Argentina o Mexico? Here is an interview I found on mediotiempo.com w/ Chaco on Monday: " Chaco" Giménez sighs by a call of Maradona * He wants to play in the Argentina Selection * I am one hundred percent and already have seven goals * He is happy in Pachuca and in all the aspects Christian Giménez has become the figure of the day. Once again he appeared when to his team needed him, contributing with three goals in the victory of Pachuca against Necaxa. This season "Chaco" could not play until Day 4 because of the meniscus operation on his left knee and although it seems that it is in the heat of his race, the Tuzo forward was not one hundred percent. "Every time I am getting better, but still I need time, I just returned from an injury and I am not at my best. It helps me much that the team is in a good level, thus is easier to do work with". Well I has played less than the other goal leaders and has to catch up to Humberto Suazo and Héctor Mancilla, but he clarifies that its obligation is not to be down. "I do not only have the interest in goals, nor fodder in being the golden boot, that to me is not my priority; I play so that my team wins and is the main priority". The Argentine forward is in his sixth match with the Tuzos and enjoys each match very much. "I like the style of my team, on any field we come to play; we do not lack much, we are a clean team, we are all convinced here of the idea of 'profe' and us encanta". TO US IT MOTIVATES OUR FAMILY Besides the sport thing, there is another aspect that occupies " Chaco" with the Tuzos. Today with his wife Bernarda and his children Santiago and Agustina live contentments in Beautiful the Windy one (Pachuca), a very valuable factor for the soccer player. "When one is contented outside he demonstrates it playing on the field, here my family is happy, they are my motor and I enjoy everything that we are experiencing, that is most important for that reason I am very thankful with Pachuca", he said. I DO NOT THINK TO BECOME NATURALIZED With activities like the one of Saturday and with the subject of the naturalized ones in the Selection, he does not deny that "Chaco" could be useful in Tricolor. "I root for Mexico, each time the Selection plays and I am its number one fan, but when I was very small I would dream to play in the Selection of Argentina and while it does not retire to me, I will maintain my dream". The recent call up of Atlante goalkeeper Federico Vilar to the squad of Diego Maradona gives hopes to Giménez. "I know that there are many players of quality who play in more difficult situations need to be taken into account, obviously, those that they are in Europe and Argentina has more opportunities but they finish calling to Vilar, that means that also they are pending of which we are acá". -You would accept the suggestion of nationalization so you can play with Mexico? - "No. The truth is that the idea has never crossed me the mind and nobody has offered it to me. Hopefully nobody is bothered, very I am thankful for this country but I have the illusion to play in the Argentine Selection". Ok, Espanol is not my first language, so there will be some mistakes.
Re: Chaco, Argentina o Mexico? not sure if anyone was interested but here's an AUDIO link to an interview that Jose F. Torres did in Miami today while training with the U.S. team. sorry, but the interview was done in spanish. http://podcast.ussoccer.com/03-25-09JoseTorresCamp.mp3
Leo López made his official match debut for the 'Tricolor' starting the match vs. Costa Rica alongside Aarón Galindo in central defence. Leo looked rock solid in the game and it's likely he will once again start against Honduras tomorrow night. Francisco Torres came in as a substitute in the USA's 2-2 draw with El Salvador in San Salvador. Didn't see the game but when Torres came in the score was El Salvador 2-0 US so it seems Torres had a positive impact on the match. 'Pájaro' Benítez was called up to the Paraguay squad for the game against Uruguay at the centenario but did not even feature on the bench. Considering Paraguay has the 3rd best strike force in the America's he has an uphill battle to get playing time with brilliant forwards like Santa Cruz, Cabañas, Cardozo and Haedo Valdez in front of him in the pecking order. Although Panama is eliminated from World Cup contention, Blas Pérez is concentrated with his national squad who will face Haiti later today. Honorable mention goes to some former Tuzos including Pachuca youth products like Fausto Pinto who started for Mexico and Omar Arellano who came in as a substitute. Another former Pachuca player (on loan to Libertad) with his national team is Julio Manzur with Paraguay but he didn't see any action in Paraguay's defeat to Uruguay.
Blas scored a hat trick against Haiti in Panama's 4-0 victory. http://mensual.prensa.com/mensual/contenido/2009/04/01/hoy/deportes/1742041.asp
Re: Chaco, Argentina o Mexico? Itz serious he is out for 6 months http://www.oem.com.mx/esto/notas/n1108995.htm
Re: Chaco, Argentina o Mexico? I really didn't think it was serious when he took the fall.But damn.I hope he makes a fast recovery.
Forgot to mention that 'Pájaro' Benítez scored in Paraguay's draw with Ecuador in Quito, also former Pachuca player Juan Arango scored a real golaso against Colombia and Manzur also played against Ecuador for Paraguay.
We need to develope some more Mexican forwards.Just saw the table of the top 5 goal scorers in Mexican football and they are all foreigners. Don't get me wrong,I don't mind having foreigners in our league but we are crossing the line.We sign to many South Americans that take away spots from Mexican players. And the media wonders why Mexican football is currently in a huge mess.
http://www.mediotiempo.com/noticia/78065/la-sub17-realiza-gira-en-cuba/ looks like two young pachuca fowards made it to the u17 call up victor manon now he is good underrated and juan vasquez never seen him play but hopefully goes well for him too