Mexico Clashes with Saudi Arabia: Match Preview, Expert Predictions and Expected Starting Lineups
Mexico advances in their Gold Cup championship defense with a quarterfinal matchup against Saudi Arabia.
El Tri secured the top spot in Group A with seven points, though Javier Aguirre's team's displays have been underwhelming. Remarkably, Mexico's strongest showing in the tournament came in their sole non-victory, a goalless stalemate against Costa Rica.
Saudi Arabia makes their inaugural Gold Cup appearance and secured quarterfinal qualification by claiming second place in Group D behind the USMNT. The Green Falcons earned their knockout stage berth through a win over Haiti and a stalemate with Trinidad and Tobago.
This marks the first encounter between these nations since their pivotal group stage finale at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where both squads were ultimately knocked out of the competition.
Mexico faces pressure to secure victory and maintain their pursuit of a 10th Gold Cup championship.
Here's Sports Illustrated's preview of this Gold Cup encounter.
What Time Does Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia Kick-Off?
Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia Head-to-Head Record
Only Meeting: Mexico 2–1 Saudi Arabia (Nov. 30, 2022) - FIFA World Cup 2022 Group Stage
Current Form (All Competitions)
Mexico | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|
Mexico 0–0 Costa Rica - 6/22/25 | Saudi Arabia 1–1 Trinidad & Tobago - 6/22/25 |
Suriname 0–2 Mexico - 6/18/25 | Saudi Arabia 0–1 U.S. - 6/19/25 |
Mexico 3–2 Dominican Republic - 6/14/25 | Haiti 0–1 Saudi Arabia - 6/15/25 |
Mexico 1–0 Turkiye - 6/10/25 | Saudi Arabia 1–2 Australia - 6/10/25 |
Mexico 2–4 Switzerland - 6/7/25 | Bahrain 0–2 Saudi Arabia - 6/5/25 |
How to Watch Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia on TV
Country | TV Channel / Live Stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | Premier Sports 2 |
United States | TUDN, FS1, FOX Sports App, FOXSports.com |
Mexico | TUDN, Canal 5, ViX |
Mexico Team News
Mexico has yet to produce a commanding display in the 2025 Gold Cup and faces an ideal chance to rectify this in the quarterfinals.
To achieve this, Aguirre must address several crucial concerns. First is César Montes' suspension due to yellow card accumulation. Captain Edsón Álvarez appears set to drop into central defense alongside Johan Vásquez, creating space for Cruz Azul midfielder Erik Lira to join as the defensive midfielder.
Additionally, Luis Chávez sustained an ACL tear during training this week and faces an extended recovery period. Aguirre's likely response involves switching to a 4-4-2 system with Lira and Marcel Ruiz as the central midfield pairing.
This adjustment creates an opportunity for Santiago Gimenez to earn his first start since the Dominican Republic opener.
Despite losing two important players, Mexico should advance to the semifinals with relative ease.
Mexico Predicted Lineup vs. Saudi Arabia
Mexico Predicted Lineup vs. Saudi Arabia (4-4-2): Malagón; Réyes, Álvarez, Vásquez, Gallardo; Alvarado, Lira, Ruiz, Vega; Jiménez, Gimenez
Saudi Arabia Team News
Saudi Arabia's quarterfinal qualification represents an impressive Gold Cup debut, considering the opposition faced in group play beyond the USMNT.
Hervé Renard's return to the national setup keeps the Green Falcons in contention for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.
It's important to note that Saudi Arabia lacks several key players participating in the Club World Cup, including Al Hilal stars Nasser and Salem Al-Dawsari.
Firas Al-Buraikan spearheading the attack will be crucial for Saudi Arabia's offensive threat, though they must continue relying on the understated defensive stability demonstrated throughout the competition.
Saudi Arabia Predicted Lineup vs. Mexico
Saudi Arabia Predicted Lineup vs. Mexico (4-3-3): Alaqidi; Abdulhamid, Al Amri, Madu, Al-Boushail; Al-Hassan, Aljohani, Abdulhamid; Al-Abood, Ahmed, Al-Buraikan
Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia Score Prediction
This encounter could prove surprisingly challenging for Mexico to navigate.
El Tri will control possession from kickoff without question, but Saudi Arabia demonstrated against the USMNT their ability to organize defensively, compress spaces effectively, and maintain tactical discipline.
Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia lacks significant attacking potency, and Mexico will eventually break the deadlock through a set-piece situation. Once their opponents push forward seeking an equalizer, additional goals should follow as defensive gaps emerge.
Mexico will face initial difficulties but should progress comfortably to the Gold Cup semifinals after opening the scoring.
Score Prediction: Mexico 2–0 Saudi Arabia