Mexico’s Best Goals of the Decade (25 – 11)
The 2010s proved to be a roller coaster of a decade for the Mexican National Team. “No Era Penal,” the famous cry from Mexican fans for Arjen Robben’s flop against the Netherlands in Brazil, paralyzed the world and the Twittersphere. “El Quinto Partido” will continue to haunt the Mexican squad until at least 2022. The decade began with the failure in 2010 against Argentina (Teveeeeez!), then in 2014 against the Netherlands (Or Holland? I never know) in Brazil, and last year to Brazil itself in Russia.
But on the glass-half-full side of things, Mexico shocked the world in the 2018 World Cup by upsetting then title holders Germany in impressive fashion. Mexico also classified to the knockout rounds for the seventh consecutive time, only joined by 5-time World Cup winner Brazil as the only nations to accomplish the feat. Also, Mexican players made their impacts felt not only domestically, but in foreign competitions in England, Italy, Spain, and the Champions League.
The future seems bright for El Tri with players like Chucky Lozano and Raul Jimenez as they will be leading the way for Mexico heading into the 2020s. These stars will be taking the mantle from legends like 5-time World Cup participant Rafael Marquez and legend Cuauhtémoc Blanco.
This goal list will focus on the top 10 goals from the Senior Mexican National Team (Sorry London 2012 team, regardless you will always have a special place in our hearts). Along with the Top 10 list (coming in a few days), we will be including a list of Honorable Mentions for those great goals that didn’t quite crack the elite. There will also be an additional list called Just Missed The Cut for those goals that, while amazing in their own right, weren’t good enough to make the top 10. A total of 25 goals were chosen to create the entire list.
The following three categories determined the ranking of the goals.
Significance – The time and place of a goal play a massive factor in our choices. A Mexican goal against a world power in a World Cup game will place higher on the list than one in a friendly.
Difficulty – Long-range strikes, impossible angles, and bypassing an entire defense will yield extra points in our eyes.
Beauty – What is life without art? Physics defying shots, curves, top bins, and chip shots will give you an advantage on our list.
Just Missed The Cut
25. Raul Jimenez vs New Zealand – 2017 Confederations Cup
This goal is the second-best goal of the 2017 Confederations Cup, according to FIFA TV. The then Benfica player showed the world why he’s one of the best forwards currently in the Premier League with this powerful strike.
24. Luis Montes vs Ecuador – 2014 Friendly
Luis “Chapito” Montes provided us with one of Mexico’s best goals of the decade; unfortunately, he would go on to miss the 2014 World Cup because of an injury in the same game.
Disclaimer: The latter part of the video contains video not suitable for everyone.
23. Giovani dos Santos vs Brazil – 2012 Friendly
This goal is Giovani Dos Santos’ 2nd best goal that he lofted over a goalkeeper this decade.
22. Jesus Manuel Corona vs Canada – 2018 World Cup Qualifiers (2016)
A roulette that would make Zidane proud. The Azteca crowd was roaring even before the goal made it to the back of the net.
21. Hector Herrera vs Trinidad & Tobago – 2018 World Cup Qualifiers (2017)
“El Hermoso” displayed his free-kick prowess in this stunning strike in Hexagonal of World Cup Qualifiers.
Honorable Mention
20. Jesus Manuel Corona vs Honduras – 2018 World Cup Qualifiers (2017)
La H has been, at times, a big thorn in Mexico’s path. Honduras’ physical prowess and resiliency have caused problems for the often softer Mexican side. This time, finesse proved to be just the thing Mexico needed when Tecatito Corona pulled a rabbit out of his hat for this fantastic goal.
Corona corraled the ball after a poor Honduras clarence, used the outside of his foot to set himself up, and volleyed the ball past the Honduran keeper. Pure Magic.
19. Irving Lozano vs Russia – 2017 Confederations Cup
Even though the 2017 Confederations Cup ended bitterly for El Tri, it did provide a great goal by Mexico’s rising star Chucky Lozano. Hector Herrera provided an unlikely assist after clearing the ball out of the Aztec’s half. Lozano raced after ball managing to knock the ball inside the goal even after being karate kicked by Russia’s goalkeeper. Unfazed by the kick, Lozano celebrated vigorously and gave Mexico the 2-1 win. (Goal starts at 1:12)
18. Hector Herrera vs Trinidad & Tobago – 2015 Friendly
2015 saw El Tricolor and Trinidad & Tobago face each other twice. The first ended contest was a surprising 4-4 tie in the group stage of the 2015 Gold Cup. The second matchup came up months later in a friendly. Hector Herrera added a highlight to his resume by hurling this screamer past the Trinidad & Tobago goalkeeper in the 85th minute to tie the game.
17. Marco Fabian vs Ecuador – 2014 Friendly
Marco Fabian is known for his long-range missiles into the back of the net. He had some this year with the Philadelphia Union. Also, the unforgettable strike in a loss against Germany in 2017, and this bomb from outside the box. Fabian manages to control a ball that still was bouncing when he struck it past the Ecuadorian keeper.
(Goal Starts at: 25)
As Darth Vader would say:
16. Jesus Manuel Corona vs Venezuela – 2016 Copa America Centenario
Probably Tecatio’s most impressive goal while wearing the Mexican jersey. Tecatito managed to put the entire Venezuelan defense on skates during this 2016 Copa America Centenario group matchup. Corona received a pass from Layun around 40 yards away from the goal. He then took on six Venezuelan defenders, maneuvering past all of them with ease and evening up the score. Even though Mexico didn’t get the win, the goal alone was worth the price of admission.
15. Javier Hernandez vs Ecuador – 2015 Friendly
Chicharito often is criticized for being a “goal-poacher,” a player that is skilled inside the penalty area and but does little outside of it. Chicharito silences the haters with this marvel. He steals the ball down the left side, stepping into the middle and launches a rocket that hit the post on its way into the goal.
My favorite part of the Chicha’s goal is the slide during his celebration. I’m not sure if it was the perfectly manicured grass of the LA Coliseum, but his slide was reminiscent of The Rock’s slide in an episode of Smackdown back in the day. A great goal from Mexico’s all-time leading scorer.
14. Jonathan Dos Santos vs USA – Gold Cup 2019
The younger Dos Santos vowed that after getting close to no minutes in the 2018 World Cup, he would step his game up. He certainly did that during the 2019 Gold Cup Final against eternal foe the USA. After some early scares, Mexico controlled the game but was unable to crack the American defense.
Enter Jonathan Dos Santos.
After a pinpoint pass from Rodolfo Pizarro, Raul Jimenez flicked a backheel pass towards a trailing Dos Santos, who almost seemed to get his foot stuck behind him before launching a kick into the left corner of the goal. The exuberant face that Jona displayed after scoring was one of the best visuals of the tournament.
(P.S. I’m not a big fan of the performance trackers that players now wear under their shirts. I understand the reasoning. It just doesn’t look, dare I say, cool? Just me? Okay.)
13. Andrés Guardado vs Croatia – 2014 World Cup
The then Croatian Manager Niko Kovač claimed that Mexico’s knees would shake when they faced Croatia during their group game at the 2014 World Cup. Mexico’s Andres Guardado and the rest of the Mexican team would have none of that by dismantling the Croatians with a 3-1 win. “El Principito” scored his first World Cup goal after a pass across the box from Oribe Peralta in the 75th minute. Guardado calmly put the ball in the back of the net and celebrated into a camera waving and pointing that his knees were not shaking. Iconic.
(Goal starts at 2:43)
12. Rafael Márquez vs Croatia – 2014 World Cup
Before their group matchup in the 2014 World Cup, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner and former Giovani Dos Santos teammate, Luka Modric, predicted that Croatia would beat Mexico because they were a better team and had better players. Modric also claimed that Croatia’s forward Mario Madzukic had scored against better goalkeepers than Memo Ochoa. This pregame drew the ire Mexico’s supporters and fueled Mexico to have one of their best games under Manager Miguel Herrera.
El Kaiser de Michoacan, playing in his 4th World Cup at this point, opened up the score to put Mexico on top with a header. This was Marquez’s 3rd and final goal at the World Cup stage.
Mexico sent Croatia home and classified into the knockout rounds. Proving to Croatia and Modric that Mexico was, in fact, the better side. A satisfying end to one of the best games of the decade for Mexico.
11. Javier Hernandez vs France – 2010 World Cup
The Little Pea came of age against powerhouse France in this goal from the 2010 World Cup. Now big disclaimer, at this point in 2010 World Cup, there was a team mutiny brewing within the French squad. This quarrel ultimately led to the departure of their forward Nicolas Anelka and the players revolting against Manger Raymond Domenech.
Nonetheless, Mexico had played a subpar opener game against host nation South Africa and needed points to stay in the hunt in Group A. The first half saw neither France or Mexico get on the board. The second half was a different story. Then recently announced Manchester United signing Javier Hernandez made a run towards open space after connecting with Rafael Marquez. With no offsides signaled (this was pre-VAR), Chicharito controlled the ball and then dribbled around Hugo Lloris for his first World Cup goal. At the highest of stages, Chicharito had announced himself to the world.
(Fun fact: Future Tigres legend Andre Perre Gignac was in the field for this matchup.)
Part 2 of Mexico’s Best Goals of the Decade coming soon!
