There’s been a lot of talk in the time that’s elapsed after Mexico’s U17s came up just short to Brazil in the U17 World Cup about why Mexico’s youth teams are able to get to the finals and win trophies while the first team dreams of a quinto partido, the mythical fifth game that has eluded El Tricolor since hosting the tournament in 1986. People are understandably eager to unlock the secret alchemy that will turn the lead balloons of the first team’s World Cup ventures over the past 30-plus years into the gold and silver trophies and medals their younger counterparts have captured in the years since.
Fewer foreigners in Liga MX alone won’t fix El Tri
