Mexico Clashes with Colombia: Battle Preview, Bold Predictions & Starting XI Revealed
Mexico returns to the field with a friendly encounter against Colombia on Saturday evening at their adopted home venue, AT&T Stadium.
El Tri managed two stalemates against Japan and South Korea in their previous outings last month. While the outcomes weren't particularly encouraging, Mexico showed commendable performance against two of Asia's top national teams, extending what has undeniably been a productive 2025 campaign.
Néstor Lorenzo's Colombia secured their spots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup through victories over Bolivia and Venezuela. The 2024 Copa América runners-up experienced some difficulties during qualifying rounds, but Los Cafetaleros continue to be a formidable opponent with talented players throughout their roster.
Javier Aguirre confronts a difficult test, given that Mexico has been defeated in their previous four encounters with Colombia. However, it represents a significant chance for several players to compete against European-level opposition and make an impression, with a domestic World Cup just nine months ahead.
Here's Sports Illustrated's preview of Mexico vs. Colombia.
What Time Does Mexico vs. Colombia Kick-Off?
Mexico vs. Colombia Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions)
Mexico | Colombia |
|---|---|
Mexico 2–2 South Korea - 9/9/25 | Venezuela 3–6 Colombia - 9/9/25 |
Mexico 0–0 Japan - 9/6/25 | Colombia 3–0 Bolivia - 9/6/25 |
USMNT 1–2 Mexico - 7/6/25 | Argentina 1–1 Colombia - 6/10/25 |
Mexico 1–0 Honduras - 7/2/25 | Colombia 0–0 Peru - 6/6/25 |
Mexico 2–0 Saudi Arabia - 6/28/25 | Colombia 2–2 Paraguay - 3/25/25 |
How to Watch Mexico vs. Colombia on TV and Live Stream
Country | TV Channel / Live Stream |
|---|---|
United States | TUDN USA, Univision, FOX Deportes, fuboTV, ViX, FOX One |
Mexico | TUDN, Canal 5, Azteca 7, ViX, Amazon Prime Video |
Mexico Team News
Aguirre will be missing the two most crucial players from his current setup, as captain Edson Álvarez and top scorer Raúl Jiménez remain in Europe for injury rehabilitation.
This creates an opportunity for Santiago Giménez to regain his scoring touch as El Tri's main striker and for Erik Lira to further cement his position as a reliable option, filling in for Álvarez in the middle of the park.
Meanwhile, Hirving Lozano is completing an impressive inaugural campaign in MLS with San Diego FC. While he typically operates on the left flank for his club, his most effective performances for El Tri have occurred when positioned on the right wing.
Alexis Vega has consistently strengthened his argument for Liga MX's top player recognition and should take his customary spot on the left flank. With Rodrigo Huescas sidelined for two weeks following his ACL injury, Cruz Azul's Jorge Sánchez is favored to start at right back.
Despite Aguirre's squad being affected by injuries, he'll still be able to field his preferred central defensive pairing of César Montes and Johan Vásquez.
Mexico Predicted Lineup vs. Colombia
Mexico predicted lineup vs. Colombia (4-3-3): Malagón; Sánchez, Montes, Vásquez, Gallardo; Ruíz, Lira, Rodríguez; Lozano, Gimenez, Vega.
Colombia Team News
Colombia arrives with a strong roster for their October friendlies on American territory, with most of their key players anticipated to feature against Mexico.
Luis Díaz has enjoyed an excellent beginning to his Bayern Munich tenure and will aim to transfer that momentum to international duty. Richard Rios, Kevin Castaño and Jefferson Lerma constitute one of South America's most energetic and well-rounded midfield units and are likely to be deployed against El Tri.
Sporting CP's Luis Suárez netted four times in Colombia's previous match and has maintained that scoring rate across his last four club appearances. While former MLS standout Juan "Cucho" Hernández is also excelling at Real Betis, Suárez is expected to get the starting nod on Saturday.
Three Liga MX representatives could feature against Mexico: Goalkeeper Kevin Mier, left-back Álvaro Angúlo and, naturally, Colombia icon James Rodríguez.
Colombia Predicted Lineup vs. Mexico
Colombia predicted lineup vs. Mexico (4-3-3): Mier; Muñoz, Mosquera, Lucumi, Angulo; Rios, Lerma, Castaño; Rodríguez, Suárez, Díaz.
Mexico vs. Colombia Score Prediction
Mexico has built a considerable reliance on Jiménez throughout 2025. In his absence, El Tri has found it challenging to create significant attacking threats.
Gimenez must capitalize on his chance while Vega will be counted on to finally bring his Toluca performances to the national team level.
Nevertheless, Colombia's dynamic squad could potentially overpower Mexico, particularly in the midfield battle. Aguirre's side is content to surrender possession, but they'll encounter a stern test against Colombia's confident attacking players.
The match promises to be tightly contested, but ultimately, the injury concerns will prove decisive and Mexico will suffer their first defeat since early June.
Score Prediction: Mexico 1–2 Colombia