The Mexican National Futbol Rapido Team announced a compelling roster for their tilt against the US Arena Soccer Team at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico on August 24.

A sharp contrast from the Tijuana/San Diego-heavy roster that played in Boise (a 7-2 win over the USNAST), this iteration is loaded with a diverse selection of MASL/LMFR talent.

If there is a trend, however, nine of the 15 players played last year for the Monterrey Flash or Rio Grande Valley Barracudas. Three of the players, Emmanuel Aguirre, Hugo Puentes, and Moises Gonzalez, changed MASL teams this offseason and have yet to debut for their new clubs. Ten players will represent their respective club teams in this weekend’s LMFR Final Four. Three players had no MASL or M2 ties.

Jaime Rodriguez, the reigning M2 Most Valuable Player, will represent his New Mexico Runners team, who are co-hosting the game.

This game will be one of the final tune-ups for October’s WMF World Cup in Perth, Australia.

“We’re looking at some new players, not just for the World Cup, but for the future,” said Mexico Head Coach Rene Ortiz. That said, the New Mexico game could be a last chance for some players to punch their ticket to Australia. “The World Cup roster is 95% set now and it could be close to 100% after the 24th,” Ortiz said.

The US and Mexico are expected to tangle one more time at a yet-to-be-announced venue on September 14. The WMF World Cup starts on October 1.

Position Name Current Team(s)
GK – Diego Reynoso (Monterrey Flash/Don Roge)
D – Emmanuel Aguirre (San Diego Sockers/Matamoros)
D – Raymundo Contreras (San Diego Sockers)
D – Luis Medrano (Savage Chihuahua)
D – Roberto Escalante (Monterrey Flash/Savage Chihuahua)
D – Marco Tovar (Monterrey Flash/Gokay)
M – Mitchell Cárdenas (Rio Grande Valley Barracudas)
M – Edgar Flores (Monterrey Flash/Gokay)
M – Francisco Torres (None)
M – Hugo Puentes (Orlando SeaWolves/Savage Chihuahua)
M – Erick Ponce (Rio Grande Valley Barracudas/Matamoros)
M – Carlos Hernandez (Rio Grande Valley Barracudas/Reynosa)
F – Moises Gonzalez (Utica City/Matamoros)
F – Jaime Rodriguez (New Mexico Runners)
F – David Gonzalez (Savage Chihuahua)

Coaching Staff
Head Coach Rene Ortiz (San Diego Sockers)
Assistant Coach Luis Jaime Borrego (Monterrey Flash)
Assistant Coach Victor Melendez (San Diego Sockers)