Aiming to extend their winning run to three matches as the CONCACAF Gold Cup approaches, Mexico face Switzerland in a high-profile friendly clash at Rice-Eccles Stadium in the United States of America on Saturday evening.

El Tri lifted a major piece of silverware during the March schedule to kick-start their calendar year, whilst the Rossocrociati battled through a pair of warm-up matches as they prepare for World Cup qualifying later in 2025.

Match preview

Mexico’s main cohort commenced 2025 in sensational fashion during the March international window, with the 2026 World Cup hosts winning back-to-back matches versus Canada and Panama to lift the CONCACAF Nations League trophy, enjoying a first bit of silverware since the Gold Cup success of 2023 at the expense of their continental rivals.

Scoring all four of El Tri’s goals in the aforementioned wins, Fulham striker Raul Jimenez is showing no signs of slowing down on the international stage despite his influence waning in recent years in the Premier League, with the 34-year-old now up to an impressive total of 40 goals across his 111 appearances for the North American giants.

Across the Nations League and friendly fixtures against clubs sides such as Internacional and River Plate, Mexico are currently enjoying a five-game unbeaten streak, scoring 10 goals and conceding just once in the process, meaning that they will fancy their chances of defeating Switzerland in Utah this weekend.

As a host nation of football’s biggest tournament in just over 12 months’ time, Mexico have automatically qualified for the 2026 World Cup and will be looking for a vast improvement on their most recent outing at the competition in Qatar at the end of 2022, when they were knocked out in the group stage by eventual winners Argentina and Poland.

The man tasked with taking El Tri towards the latter stages of the tournament next year, head coach Javier Aguirre has enjoyed a positive start to life at the helm, winning five of his seven matches in charge, with the 66-year-old’s only defeat to date coming at the base of Honduras on November 2024.

Since the elation of a round-of-16 success over holders Italy in Euro 2024 last June, Switzerland have endured a severe dip in form on the international stage, with Saturday’s visitors to Utah aiming to find their mojo once again ahead of a crucial World Cup qualification campaign at the tail end of 2025.

A glimmer of hope was provided by the Rossocrociati during their most recent match on March 25, when first-half goals from Ruben Vargas, Monaco’s Breel Embolo and defender Miro Muheim secured a 3-0 friendly triumph over European minnows Luxembourg, who managed a consolation late in the day courtesy of former Huddersfield Town striker Danel Sinani.

Ending their eight-game winless run last time out at Kybunpark in St. Gallen, Switzerland are now aiming to record back-to-back victories for the first time since a pair of friendly successes over the Republic of Ireland (1-0) and Baltic strugglers Estonia (4-0) during the first half of the 2024 international schedule.

The end of that particular calendar year ended with a woeful UEFA Nations League A campaign, with the Rossocrociati suffering a sobering relegation to League B of the competition after going winless across six fixtures in their section against Euro 2024 winners Spain, Denmark and Serbia, bringing a disappointing 2024 to a saddening conclusion.

There is still considerable optimism in the camp of the Swiss, though, who have been drawn in a favourable group for World Cup qualifying later this year, with Murat Yakin’s troops needing to top a section containing Sweden, Kosovo and Slovenia in order to book a spot at football’s grandest occasion in June 2026.

Team News

Mexico should stick with the majority of their starting contingent from the Nations League success in March, meaning that Edson Alvarez should start in midfield despite a disappointing campaign at West Ham United in the Premier League.

Whilst Fulham’s Jimenez was the main man of El Tri’s recent triumph on the continental stage, AC Milan star Santiago Gimenez is also a key cog in the lineup of the North Americans.

Netting three of his side’s four Nations League goals last year, Zeki Amoundi is a major miss for Switzerland at the moment, with the Burnley man picking up an injury whilst on club duty for Benfica in May.

The Rossocrociati are also short of options at the back of the pitch, with Eintracht Frankfurt centre-back Aurele Amenda sustaining a knee injury in the Bundesliga last month.

Resting on the bench during the win over Luxembourg last time out, Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel should replace Yvon Mvogo in between the sticks this weekend.

Mexico possible starting lineup: Malagon; Reyes, Montes, Vasquez, Gallardo; Alvarado, Alvarez, Romo, Huerta; Gimenez, Jimenez

Switzerland possible starting lineup: Kobel; Comert, Hajdari, Rodriguez, Muheim; Blondel, Zakaria, Sow, Vargas; Ndoye, Embolo