Mexico U23 soccer team acknowledges obligation to win 2026 Central American Games

The Mexican U23 national soccer team acknowledges the obligation to win gold at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games, aiming to defend the title they secured three years ago in El Salvador. Under the guidance of coach Eduardo Arce, the team will begin their campaign on July 30 against Venezuela at the Cibao Stadium in the Dominican Republic.

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It will be a complicated tournament, we are aware of that. We will be in the Dominican Republic where we don't know the conditions or how the field will be, and it's always complicated to play against rivals from Central America and our confederation because they play for their lives.

In the initial phase, Mexico will compete against Venezuela, the host nation, and Guatemala. Their objective is to secure the eighth gold medal in men's football, a discipline where Mexico holds the record for the most gold medals in the history of the Central American Games. "It will be a complicated tournament, we are aware of that. We will be in the Dominican Republic where we don't know the conditions or how the field will be, and it's always complicated to play against rivals from Central America and our confederation because they play for their lives," said Necaxa central defender Diego Ochoa.

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we have the obligation to win, so we know the pressure that exists as a country, especially in football, and it doesn't scare us; on the contrary, it motivates us and obliges us to raise our level.

Ochoa emphasized the team's mindset, stating, "we have the obligation to win, so we know the pressure that exists as a country, especially in football, and it doesn't scare us; on the contrary, it motivates us and obliges us to raise our level." The team aspires to evoke the same national pride experienced during the recent World Cup. "We continue with that nostalgia for the pride that we made everyone feel, and we want to make people feel the same," Ochoa added.

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We continue with that nostalgia for the pride that we made everyone feel, and we want to make people feel the same.

Coach Eduardo Arce has analyzed the opponents, noting that "we know Guatemala a little better, we had a friendly with Venezuela, we don't know who they will bring but we already have some progress." He concluded, "the obligation is always there, and more so in these competitions where Mexico excels; we must always try to win."

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the obligation is always there, and more so in these competitions where Mexico excels; we must always try to win.