Sandra Stephany Mayor (pictured) played in three games for Mexico in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. (Photo: Mexsport)
MEXICO CITY – Mexico announced Wednesday the names of 23 players chosen to represent the nation in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.
The team is scheduled to report to training on Friday at the Mexican Football Federation’s High Performance Center, where it will also meet fellow World Cup-qualifier Costa Rica in friendlies on May 25 and 28.
From those selected, 11 players were on the Tricolor side that participated in the 2011 Women’s World Cup, including forward Monica Ocampo and midfielder Sandra Stephany Mayor, each of whom scored one goal in that competition.
In addition to a significant number of veterans, head coach Leonardo Cuellar has placed confidence in youth with ample World Cup experience at the age-group levels. Midfielder Amanda Perez (20) and defender Bianca Sierra (22) have both competed in a pair of FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups, while midfielder Claudia Fabiola Ibarra (21) scored against Nigeria in last year’s U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Cuellar also handed a surprise call-up to 16-year-old goalkeeper Emily Alvarado, who played in four games at the 2014 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Mexico will be making its third Women’s World Cup appearance, when it opens Group F play against Colombia on June 9 in Moncton, before facing England (June 13 Moncton) and France (June 17 in Ottawa).
MEXICO WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER
(2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada)
GOALKEEPERS: Emily Alvarado, Cecilia Santiago, Pamela Tajonar
DEFENDERS: Greta Espinoza, Alina Garciamendez, Valeria Miranda, Christina Murillo, Kenti Robles, Arianna Romero, Bianca Sierra
MIDFIELDERS: Monica Alvarado, Claudia Fabiola Ibarra, Sandra Stephany Mayor, Teresa Noyola, Amanda Perez, Veronica Perez, Lydia Nayeli Rangel, Jennifer Ruiz, Maria Sanchez
FORWARDS: Ariana Calderon, Veronica Charlyn Corral, Renae Cuellar, Monica Ocampo