To face England in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16, Edson Alvarez turned into one of the main absences in Mexico’s starting lineup. Mexico takes on England in the Round of 16 at the Estadio Azteca with a quarterfinal spot on the line, but one of El Tri’s most recognizable names will not be in the starting eleven. Edson Alvarez is among the most notable absences from the lineup for such a high-stakes match.
Alvarez has been left out of the starting XI due to a tactical decision by head coach Javier Aguirre. Fully fit and with three World Cup appearances already under his belt this tournament, Aguirre has opted to replicate the same lineup that faced Ecuador, meaning Alvarez will begin the match on the bench once again.
Having been used both as a center back and as a holding midfielder against Czechia in earlier fixtures, Aguirre has gone in a different direction for this one. Cesar Montes, who wears the captain’s armband, and Johan Vasquez form the central defensive partnership, while Erik Lira gets the nod as the holding midfielder tasked with containing England.
A major concern heading into the tournament had been Alvarez’s ankle injury, which required surgery earlier in 2026. Although the West Ham midfielder has made a full recovery, the lack of competitive minutes in the buildup to the World Cup appears to have cost him his place as an automatic starter for El Tri.
*Developing story…