Dos Santos brothers omitted from Mexico squad
Shock as Dos Santos brothers omitted from Mexico's Copa America squad
Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, Hector Herrera and Rafa Marquez are among the veterans headlining the Copa America Centenario squad called by Mexico manager Juan Carlos Osorio.
While the manager looks to rely on experience, he's also called 20 year-old Pachuca attacker Hirving Lozano and 23 year-old Porto forward Jesus "Tecatito" Corona. Osorio had to balance the Copa with this summer's Olympics, when Mexico will look to defend the gold medal it won in 2012.
Among the notable absences on the team are both Dos Santos brothers. LA Galaxy attacker Giovani dos Santos and Villarreal midfielder Jonathan dos Santos have yet to fully integrate with Osorio's national team, with Gio yet to play for the Colombian manager and Jona twice making the bench.
"Giovani himself declined the invitation," Osorio said at a news conference. "Ethically, what I talked about with him stays between us."
In addition to Jona dos Santos, another La Liga-based Mexican who made the provisional roster was cut from the final 23: Real Sociedad forward Carlos Vela. His absence marks the latest development in an on-again, off-again relationship with the national team and its directors.
Mexico should still be well equipped, with European-based players like Hernandez, Herrera, Miguel Layun and Guillermo Ochoa entering the summer in form after successful ends to the European season.
“With this national team, we’ve got all the chance to compete for and hope to reach our goals," Osorio said.
Mexico squad:
Goalkeepers: Alfredo Talavera (Toluca), Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul), Guillermo Ochoa (Malaga)
Defenders: Paul Aguilar (America), Nestor Arujo (Santos), Diego Reyes (Real Sociedad), Hector Moreno (PSV), Yasser Corona (Queretaro), Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres), Miguel Layun (Porta), Rafa Marquez (Atlas), Jesus Molina (Santos)
Midfielders: Hector Herrera (Porto), Jesus Duenas (Tigres), Andres Guardado (PSV), Carlos “Gullit” Pena (Chivas)
Forwards: Jurgen Damm (Tigres), Hirving Lozano (Pachuca), Jesus “Tecatito” Corona (Porto), Javier Aquino (Tigres), Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez (Bayer Leverkusen), Raul Jimenez (Benfica), Oribe Peralta (America)