Mexico and Colombia will face each other at AT&T Stadium on Saturday as part of their U.S. tour in preparation for the 2026 World Cup. With expectations high for a competitive clash, there are questions over whether star striker Raúl Jiménez will feature for El Tri.
Mexico didn’t need to go through World Cup qualifying as one of the tournament’s host nations, meaning their most recent competitive matches came in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup last summer. Still, El Tri remain focused on testing themselves in “demanding matches, in settings where players won’t feel comfortable, to put them under pressure,” as head coach Javier Aguirre explained in his pregame press conference.
Colombia, meanwhile, are entering their first set of friendlies since finishing fourth in CONMEBOL qualifying and securing their World Cup spot. As part of their North American tour, Los Cafeteros will first face Mexico before taking on Canada on Tuesday — two of the three host nations of the 2026 tournament.
Is Raul Jimenez playing against Colombia?
Raúl Jiménez has been in strong form for Mexico recently, playing a key role in El Tri’s 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup triumph over the USMNT. The Fulham striker is also just 10 goals shy of surpassing Javier “Chicharito” Hernández as Mexico’s all-time leading scorer. However, Jiménez will have to wait to add to his tally, as he won’t be available for the match against Colombia.
Raul Jimenez of Fulham appears injured on the floor.
Jiménez won’t be playing against Colombia as he was not included in Javier Aguirre’s October call-up after suffering a rib injury during Fulham’s match against Aston Villa. Despite scoring the opening goal in the third minute, he was forced off just eight minutes later.
While the issue is not serious and he’s expected to return for Fulham after the international break, Aguirre chose to rest him for these friendlies, giving other forwards such as Santiago Giménez and Julián Quiñones the chance to shine.
Projected lineups for Mexico and Colombia
Mexico’s projected lineups (4-3-3): Luis Malagón; Jorge Sánchez, César Montes, Johan Vásquez, Jesús Gallardo; Carlos Rodríguez,Erik Lira, Marcel Ruiz; Hirving Lozano, Santiago Giménez, Alexis Vega.
Head coach: Javier Aguirre.
Colombia’s projected lineups (4-3-3): Kevin Mier; Álvaro Angulo, Davinson Sánchez, Yerry Mina, Daniel Muñoz; Kevin Castaño, Jefferson Lerma, Richard Ríos; Luis Díaz, Luis Suárez, James Rodríguez.
Head coach: Nestor Lorenzo.
