After a one-year hiatus, Giovani Dos Santos is finally back in the fold for the Mexican National Team.
El Tri's Colombian manager, Juan Carlos Osorio, called up Dos Santos for the first time since the 2015 Gold Cup, teaning the upcoming friendlies against New Zealand and Panama will be the first chance we get to see the LA Galaxy forward playing under Osorio.
In terms of performance, Dos Santos’s call-up is no surprise, as he’s having a fantastic season in LA. So far he has scored 14 goals and dished out four assists this season in 26 MLS games.
The interesting fact about his inclusion on the roster is the last time Osorio tried having Dos Santos in the squad the player refused the invite. It happened a few months back as Osorio announced his Copa America Centenario squad.
"Giovani himself declined the invitation," Osorio said at the time in a news conference in Mexico City. "To be ethical, what was spoken about will stay between the two of us."
By no means did Osorio close the doors for Giovani’s return, and neither did the player, who stated that despite not regretting his refusal to play in the Copa America he was hoping for a new chance with El Tri.
"I love my country and it was a difficult decision for me [not to go to the Copa America]," Dos Santos said. "But in football you always have second chances. I know I'm doing well right now in my team and hopefully I get called again for the national team."
His return, however, comes along with a series of snubs of Mexican players who are doing well in European fields. The highlight among the players left out by Osorio was Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez.
Chicharito has been in great form despite Bayern Leverkusen’s so far mid-table campaign. The Mexican striker has scored four goals in four Bundesliga matches for Leverkusen, half of the team’s total tally this season.
Along with Chicharito, other high-profile snubs were Hector Moreno, Andres Guardado, Hector Herrera, and Jesus Corona.
Here is the Mexico’s complete squad for the friendlies against New Zealand and Panama, Oct. 8 and Oct. 11 respectively:
Goalkeepers: Moises Munoz (Club America), Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul), Rodolfo Cota (Chivas)
Defenders: Hugo Ayala (Tigres), Hedgardo Marin (Chivas), Oswaldo Alanis (Chivas), Jordan Silva (Toluca), Jesus Duenas (Tigres), Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres), Adrian Aldrete (Cruz Azul)
Midfielders: Luis Robles (Atlas), Jesus Molina (Santos Laguna), Jonathan dos Santos (Villarreal), Orbelin Pineda (Chivas), Erick Gutierrez (Pachuca)
Forwards: Elias Hernandez (Leon), Angel Sepulveda (Queretaro), Hirving Lozano (Pachuca), Isaac Brizuela (Chivas), Giovani dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Marco Fabian (Eintracht Frankfurt), Oribe Peralta (Club America), Alan Pulido (Chivas).
