Mexico Squad for the CONCACAF 2021 Gold Cup: key absences

Defending champions Mexico started their Gold Cup 2021 campaign with a disappointing 0-0 draw against Trinidad and Tobago on 11 July.

The 2021 Gold Cup kicked off on July 10 and runs through to 1 August and will be staged this year across the United States.

Both fancied Canada and strongly tipped United States are in Group B and started their respective campaigns with wins over Martinique and Haiti and July 18 will see a clash between both North American giants.

Mexico, who have won a tournament-record eight Gold Cup titles, are the defending champions and stated their campaign with a disappointing 0-0 draw with Trinidad and Tobago.

Mexico 2021 Gold Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Rodolfo Cota (Leon), Jonathan Orozco (Tijuana), Alfredo Talavera (Pumas)

Defenders: Kevin Alvarez (Pachuca), Nestor Araujo (Celta Vigo), Jesus Gallardo (Monterrey), Hector Moreno (Monterrey), Luis Rodriguez (Tigres), Osvaldo Rodriguez (Leon), Carlos Salcedo (Tigres), Gilberto Sepulveda (Chivas de Guadalajara)

Midfielders: Edson Alvarez (Ajax), Efrain Alvarez (LA Galaxy), Alan Cervantes (Santos Laguna), Jonathan dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Erick Gutierrez (PSV), Hector Herrera (Atletico Madrid), Orbelin Pineda (Cruz Azul), Erick Sanchez (Pachuca)

Forwards: Jesus Corona (Porto), Rogelio Funes Mori (Monterrey), Hirving Lozano (Napoli), Alan Pulido (Sporting Kansas City)

Key absences for 'El Tri'

Mexican manager Tata Martino recently confirmed his tournament squad and few eyebrows were raised when the name of LAFC striker Carlos Vela was not included in the Argentine coach's list.

Vela has yet to officially retire from international football and speaking to the LA Times in April of this year he swerved the question from journalist Kevin Baxter and claimed that his focus was just on 'getting back to his best level'.

After Sunday's scoreless draw against Trinidad and Tobago in the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup opener in Arlington, Texas on Saturday night. The most notable incident in the game was the serious head injury that Hirving Lozano suffered in the 10th minute after a clash with the goalkeeper Marvin Phillips with the Napoli player now set to miss the rest of the tournament due to the injury.

Andres Guardado (Betis) and Raul Jiminez (Wolves) have been recovering from long term injuries and we're left out of the squad to be given added recovery time. Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez is another high profile absentee with the former Sevilla and Manchester United player out of form.