PHOENIX, Arizona -- The preparation games are out the way and now Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio will lead his side into the Copa America Centenario 2016 opener against Uruguay at the University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday with confidence flowing.
It's the biggest match of Osorio's career to date as Mexico coach and has increased importance with the knowledge that the winner on Sunday will have a better chance of avoiding Copa America favorite Argentina in the quarterfinal stage of the tournament.
Osorio's team and tactical layout will always depend on the opposition it is facing, even though the central idea of playing rapid, vertical football, taking risks and outnumbering the opposition spatially in key areas of the field remains at the core of this team's philosophy, regardless of the formation.
A 4-3-3 appears to be the likely choice and is Osorio's most commonly-used formation, even if a Marcelo Bielsa-style 3-4-3 was employed to good effect in last Saturday's 1-0 win over Paraguay. Osorio has also played with a 5-2-3 and a 4-4-2 in his time in charge.
The debate over the goalkeeping spot is as fierce as it ever has been. Alfredo Talavera has been given more minutes than any other keeper under Osorio, but Guillermo Ochoa retains his aura and has had a good last couple of months. At a push, you'd have to put Talavera just as the starter, but it feels like a toss-up.
In defense, the center-back partnership of Rafa Marquez and Hector Moreno seems the most likely combination, leaving Diego Reyes as the missing piece, although he may come into contention in the defensive midfield role.
In the full-back positions, the duo of Paul Aguilar (right) and Miguel Layun (left) has served Mexico well in recent years, but there is the option of playing right-footed Layun on the right and introducing Tigres' Jorge Torres Nilo on the left.
In front in the holding midfield role, Santos Laguna's Jesus Molina appears to have caught Osorio's eye and his positional awareness, reading of the game and more physical presence perhaps gives him the edge over Reyes. Ahead of him, the pistons that are Hector Herrera and Andres Guardado are fixtures in this team and crucial elements.
There is little doubt about the central striker. Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez netted the winner against Chile in El Tri's last warm-up game in San Diego on Wednesday and remains one of the big reasons Mexico fans are starting to believe that their team could make a deep run. He's in the best form of his career.
Then there are the wing positions, which are so important to Osorio's whole vision of how he wants Mexico to play. Jesus "Tecatito" Corona was mediocre against Chile, but has done enough of late to get the start, while it looks like Pachuca's flying youngster Hirving Lozano may be on the other wing, even if Jurgen Damm and Javier Aquino also have a decent shot at starting games in the Copa America.
Here's the full predicated Mexico starting XI (4-3-3): Talavera, Aguilar, Marquez, Moreno, Layun, Molina, Herrera, Guardado, Lozano, Hernandez, Corona.
Mexico's Copa America depth chart for each position (4-3-3):
Goalkeepers
1.Alfredo Talavera (Toluca)
2. Guillermo Ochoa (Malaga)
3. Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul)
Right-back
1. Paul Aguilar (Club America)
2. Miguel Layun (Porto)
3. Jesus Duenas (Tigres)
Right-sided center-back
1.Rafa Marquez (Atlas)
2.Diego Reyes (Real Sociedad)
3. Nestor Araujo (Santos Laguna)
Left-sided center-back
1. Hector Moreno (PSV)
2. Yasser Corona (Queretaro)
3. Diego Reyes (Real Sociedad)
Left-back
1. Miguel Layun (Porto)
2. Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres)
3. Hector Moreno (PSV)
Holding midfield
1. Jesus Molina Santos (Laguna)
2. Diego Reyes (Real Sociedad)
3. Rafa Marquez (Atlas)
Right midfield
1. Hector Herrera (Porto)
2. Carlos Pena (Chivas)
3. Jesus Duenas (Tigres
Left midfield
1. Andres Guardado (PSV)
2. Hector Herrera (Porto)
3. Carlos Pena (Chivas)
Right wing
1. Hirving Lozano (Pachuca)
2. Jurgen Damm (Tigres)
3. Raul Jimenez (Benfica)
Left wing
1. Jesus "Tecatito" Corona (Porto)
2. Javier Aquino (Tigres)
3. Hirving Lozano (Pachuca)
Striker
1. Javier Hernandez (Bayer Leverkusen)
2. Raul Jimenez (Benfica)
3. Oribe Peralta (Club America)