Argentina is the favorite to win this group, so the real narrative is, who comes in second? Mexico and Poland will likely battle for that spot, though Saudi Arabia is no slouch as an opponent.
Robert Lewandowski leads a strong Poland side, while El Tri has the potential to go far in the tournament, especially with a rowdy fan base in tow. Meanwhile, the Saudis have confidence heading into Qatar after winning their Asian qualifying group and tying the United States in a September friendly — can they pull off a group stage upset?
Everything you need to know about Mexico:
Three Things You Need To Know About Mexico
Coach: Gerardo "Tata" Martino
Highest finish: Quarterfinal (1970, 1986)
2018 finish: Round of 16
FOX Bet odds: +15000
Key players: Héctor Herrera, Raúl Jiménez, Guillermo Ochoa
What we're excited to watch: Mexico vs. Poland on Nov. 22, which should be an early indicator of who gets out of the group behind Argentina.
What success looks like: Getting past the round of 16.
Achilles heel: Raúl Jiménez has been dealing with a nagging groin injury — will he be back to full fitness by the time Mexico plays Poland? El Tri will need help from their 6-foot-3 forward to make a run.
X-Factor: Don't underestimate the power of fans. There's a reason Azteca is one of the toughest places to play, and Mexico fans will travel. Can they create a home-field advantage in Qatar?
Group C Preview: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Poland | SOTU
Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa, Alfredo Talavera, Rodolfo Cota
Defenders: Kevin Alvarez, Nestor Araujo, Gerardo Arteaga, Jesus Gallardo, Hector Moreno, Cesar Montes, Jorge Sanchez, Johan Vasquez
Midfielders: Edson Alvarez, Roberto Alvarado, Uriel Antuna, Luis Chavez, Andres Guardado, Erick Gutierrez, Hector Herrera, Orbelin Pineda, Carlos Rodriguez, Luis Romo
Forwards: Rogelio Funes Mori, Raul Jimenez, Hirving Lozano, Henry Martin, Alexis Vega
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.
