Javier Aguirre handed the starting goalkeeper spot to Raúl Rangel in Mexico’s final pre‑World Cup match, naming him in goal for the June 4 friendly against Serbia at the Nemesio Diez — a clear rehearsal for the opening game against Sudáfrica.
The selection continued a run that has made Rangel the immediate favorite for the tournament's first match: he has started every Mexico game in 2026 and was in goal against Panamá, Bolivia, Islandia, Portugal, Bélgica, Ghana, Australia and Serbia. In a seven‑match stretch during that period Mexico conceded a single goal and did not lose.
Rangel’s overall senior record is mixed. He has two losses in 13 appearances; his debut came in a 4‑0 defeat to Uruguay in June 2024 and he was part of a 4‑2 loss to Suiza before the 2025 Copa Oro. Still, the recent clean defensive run under his watch is the evidence Aguirre leaned on when shaping his likely opening eleven.
The goalkeeper competition that shaped this choice was not new. After the second half of 2025, following the Copa Oro, Rangel alternated with Luis Ángel Malagón; Malagón’s subsequent injury opened the door for Rangel to take over as Mexico’s primary keeper in the World Cup year.
Rangel himself has kept expectations measured. He told reporters he does not feel the starting job is guaranteed and that he continues to work every day to earn it — a reminder that Aguirre’s pick for Serbia is a working decision, not an official tournament confirmation.
The selection against Serbia served two practical purposes: it tested Rangel under match conditions at the Nemesio Diez and gave Aguirre a baseline for the final roster calculus before Mexico faces Sudáfrica. The coach used the lineup as a final experiment to help define the eleven he is most likely to send out for the tournament opener.
What remains unresolved is formal confirmation. Mexico will open the World Cup against Sudáfrica, and while Rangel is strongly pointed toward that role after starting the last string of matches, Aguirre has not publicly locked in a named starter for the opener. The immediate question for the coach is whether the Serbia start will be the de facto announcement or simply one more trial before he submits his final lineup.
