Andres Guardado, the captain and all-time caps leader for Mexico’s national team, has announced his retirement after 15 years of service. The 36-year-old midfielder made the decision official on Tuesday via an Instagram post that thanked fans for their support throughout his career with El Tri.

Guardado joined the Mexican national team in 2004 at age 19 and went on to make a total of 167 appearances wearing Mexico’s jersey — more appearances than any other player in history. He is also the only Mexican player to compete in four World Cups, having first done so as part of the 2006 squad that reached the round of 16. Since then, Guardado has gone on to captain Mexico’s national team in both the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, where his leadership helped El Tri reach the round of 16 yet again.

While Guardado suffered some heartbreaking losses with Mexico, he also had some great successes — most notably leading his countrymen to victory at Copa America Centenario in 2016 as well as several CONCACAF Gold Cup titles (2009, 2011 and 2015). In addition to these titles, Guardado was named CONCACAF Player of the Year twice (in 2015 and 2019) and was selected for two All-Star teams (2011 and 2015). It was no surprise then that when he announced his retirement from international football this week, it sent ripples of sadness through fans around the world.

As much as it pains El Tri faithful to say goodbye to one of their favorite players, many are taking solace in knowing that they will still get a chance to see Andres Guardado donning Mexico’s colors one last time when Qatar 2022 rolls around. The tournament will serve as a fitting final opportunity for him to “achieve something for the Mexican national team” before officially calling time on his international career. Fans can look forward to seeing him lead out “El Tricolor” one last time with pride wearing a new Mexico 2023 jersey emblazoned with “Guardado 20” across its back.

The loss of such an inspirational leader like Andres Guardado is sure to be felt wherever football is played not just by Mexican fans but by fans everywhere who have come to love watching him gracefully maneuver across pitch every time he put on his beloved jersey. We here at FootballNations want nothing but the best for him going forward and are confident we’ll continue seeing great things from this incredible man even after his retirement from international football is complete.

The safety of soccer fans attending Liga MX matches in Mexico has been brought into sharp focus after a fan riot in Querétaro left 26 injured during a match at Estadio Corregidora in March 2022. With the Mexico 2023 jersey soon to be released, there are concerns that more steps need to be taken to ensure the safety of spectators.

The incident occurred when rival supporters clashed during Queretaro’s match with Atlas. The situation escalated quickly and brawls in the stands spilled onto the pitch, causing serious injuries. In response, the Liga MX implemented a system of fan IDs for all attendees which was designed to reduce crowd-related violence. However, it is unclear if this measure is enough to ensure spectator safety during future games.

One particular problem with fan identification is that it relies on enforcement by security staff, who often lack sufficient training and resources to properly monitor events. This can lead to situations where people enter stadiums without permission or participate in violence while still being allowed to remain at matches.

In addition, there is also an underlying issue of social unrest that makes this problem difficult to address. Many of these incidents are rooted in deep-seated grievances between opposing sides that cannot necessarily be solved by simply introducing an identification system or increasing security presence at matches. This means that fan ID measures must also be combined with other approaches, such as education initiatives and community outreach programs, in order to effectively tackle the issue.

Furthermore, it should also be noted that fan identification systems do not guarantee complete protection against crowd-related trouble due to their limited effectiveness in preventing illegal activities such as ticket scalping or illegal alcohol sales. These issues can lead to further conflict and escalation among spectators if not monitored closely by stadium staff and authorities alike.

Ultimately, though the introduction of fan IDs is a step forward towards greater spectator safety at Liga MX matches, it should be noted that additional measures will likely need to be implemented alongside for them to have any tangible effect on reducing violence and promoting harmony between rival supporters inside stadiums across Mexico. As part of this effort, when Mexico 2023 releases its new jerseys later this year perhaps more attention needs to be paid on how they can relate sports culture back into using their platforms for greater good — such as creating safer sporting environments for all fans regardless of team affiliation or background.

Mexico’s national soccer team is making headlines after manager Diego Cocca revealed the 40-man preliminary roster for the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League finals in June. Two of Mexico’s biggest stars, Hirving “Chucky” Lozano and Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, have been left off the list, sparking major controversy among fans and experts alike.

Lozano, a star player for Italy’s Serie A champion Napoli, was ruled out due to an injury, while Chicharito – who holds the record as Mexico’s all-time highest goalscorer – was simply omitted from the team. This has caused many to question Cocca’s decision to leave two of Mexico’s most recognizable players out of such an important competition.

It is no secret that Chicharito and Lozano are beloved by Mexican fans worldwide, with millions wearing their jerseys during matches or sporting them proudly in public. Being left off the roster for this year’s competition certainly serves as a blow to both players and their supporters alike. It also presents a significant challenge to Mexico’s chances at victory in the tournament.

The CONCACAF Nations League will kick off with a June 15 semifinal against the United States at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium where Mexico will be looking to make history by winning its first major trophy since hosting the 2011 Gold Cup. With such high stakes on the line, it remains to be seen how much impact Chicharito and Lozano missing from this year’s competition could potentially have on Mexico’s performance.

Despite being left off this year’s roster however, both players remain optimistic about their future prospects with Mexico Soccer and there is already speculation about them potentially returning to play for their country when they debut new Mexico soccer jersey 2023.

Though it may be disappointing for fans not to see either of these two superstars grace the pitch during this year’s CONCACAF Finals, it is clear that neither player nor their supporters have given up hope just yet. Regardless of what happens come June 15th, one thing remains certain; Chicharito and Lozano still mean a great deal to Mexican football fans all over the world.