Mexico head into this summer’s 2026 World Cup under the considerable pressure of co-hosting the tournament, and their demanding supporters will expect a show.
El Tri will open the tournament against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca on 11th June and will be under huge expectation to deliver a win and a convincing performance.
If they’re to do that on the opening night and throughout the competition, Mexico’s forwards need to deliver.
With Javier Aguirre yet to announce his final squad, there is a fierce battle taking place in that regard, especially for the starting striker spot. So, who are the most likely candidates to lead the line for Mexico this summer?
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The favourite: Raul Jimenez
- Key stat: Only Jared Borgetti (46) and Javier Hernandez (52) have scored more goals for Mexico than Raul Jimenez (44).
Raul Jimenez is ninth on the all-time list of most-capped Mexican players on 123, and third on their goalscoring charts with 44 — the latter only bettered by Jared Borgetti (46) and Javier Hernandez (52).
Even at 35 years old, Jimenez remains the face of this team and one of its natural leaders, and he heads into the summer off the back of two resurgent years with Fulham, where he’s bagged 24 goals and six assists across all competitions combined.
Jimenez has seen it all with El Tri, suffering World Cup heartbreak and scoring in major final victories. While he may not be as spritely as he once was, his experience counts for double, while his hold-up play will be a massive help in getting the likes of Alexis Vega, Brian Gutierrez and Roberto Alvarado involved.
The back-up: Santiago Gimenez
- Key stat: Santiago Gimenez scored the winning goal for Mexico against Panama in the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup final.
Just a couple of years ago, Santiago Gimenez looked destined to inherit the No.9 jersey for Mexico, having bagged 65 goals in three years at Feyenoord, helping them lift Eredivisie and KNVB Cup titles.
However, his move to AC Milan in 2024 proved to be a disaster. Injury has severely restricted his playing time to just 37 matches in two years across all competitions, with Gimenez registering only seven goals and five assists during that time.
Gimenez managed just one goal throughout the whole of 2025/26, and failed to score in 16 Serie A appearances.
For all those struggles, Gimenez remains an immense talent and is very much capable of finding big moments on any given day.
The wildcard: Armando Gonzalez
- Key stat: Armando Gonzalez scored 24 goals during the 2025/26 Liga MX campaign.
Armando Gonzalez has just seven senior caps to his name as the World Cup looms large, but he’s almost certain to make the final cut.
The talented 23-year-old has enjoyed a stellar 2025/26 campaign with Chivas Guadalajara, notching 26 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions, including 24 strikes in 35 combined Liga MX Apertura and Clausura outings.
Gonzalez is lethal, dynamic and extremely hard-working, and he’s formed an incredible understanding with his Chivas teammates Alvarado and Gutierrez, who also look set to make Aguirre’s squad.
Also consider: Julian Quinones, Guillermo Martinez, German Berterame