Mexico prepares for Portugal in World Cup warmup at Azteca despite a rash of injuries

MEXICO CITY: (Mar 27) (AP) Mexico’s Javier Aguirre prefers not to dwell on absences and instead focus on players he has available for two warmup matches ahead of the World Cup.

Mexico is missing 12 regular call-ups including captain Edson Alvarez and five other starters as the team prepares to face Portugal on Saturday and Belgium three days later.

The match against Portugal marks the reopening of the iconic Azteca Stadium, which has been closed since May 2024 for renovations to host the third World Cup in its history. The game against Belgium will be played at Soldier Field in Chicago.