Dos Santos, Vela return for El Tri, make Mexico's Confederations Cup roster
Mexico is balancing two major tournaments this summer, but manager Juan Carlos Osorio is making it clear that showing well at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup is a priority.
Osorio has called on a first-choice squad for the World Cup tune-up event in Russia, which kicks off on June 17. Mexico joins the other confederation champions, reigning World Cup champion Germany and 2018 World Cup host Russia in the eight-team event, and it will have its heaviest hitters available. Giovani Dos Santos and Carlos Vela are back in El Tri's good graces, joining other star teammates such as Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, Hector Herrera, Andres Guardado, Jesus "Tecatito" Corona and Miguel Layun.
Longtime captain Rafa Marquez will be making the trip to Russia, as will rising star Hirving Lozano.
Mexico will play against Portugal, New Zealand and host Russia, with a potential rematch against Chile, which humiliated Mexico 7-0 in the Copa America Centenario quarterfinals, on the docket should both sides get out of their respective groups.
Mexico will also participate in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July, with Osorio expanding his player pool for the competition. Goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota, defenders Marquez and Nestor Araujo, and forwards Lozano and Oribe Peralta were the only players considered for both tournaments, with those five included on Mexico's 40-man preliminary roster.
Here is Mexico's squad in full:
GOALKEEPERS: Rodolfo Cota (Chivas Guadalajara), Guillermo Ochoa (Granada), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca)
DEFENDERS: Oswaldo Alanís (Chivas Guadalajara), Néstor Araujo (Santos Laguna), Rafael Márquez (Atlas), Héctor Moreno (PSV Eindhoven), Diego Reyes (Espanyol), Luis Reyes (Atlas), Carlos Salcedo (Fiorentina)
MIDFIELDERS: Jonathan Dos Santos (Villarreal), Andrés Guardado (PSV Eindhoven), Héctor Herrera (Porto), Miguel Layún (Porto)
FORWARDS: Javier Aquino (Tigres), Jesús Manuel Corona (Porto), Giovani Dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Marco Fabián (Eintracht Frankfurt), Javier Hernández (Bayer Leverkusen), Raúl Jiménez (Benfica), Hirving Lozano (Pachuca), Oribe Peralta (América), Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad)
