With less than four months to go until the 2016 Olympics, Mexico U23 manager Raul "Potro" Gutierrez must soon recognize who his best options will be for the summer competition.
Although big names like Rodolfo Pizarro, Hirving Lozano and Jesus "Tecatito" Corona are set to make headlines in Brazil, there are a few new faces who might be able to steal some of the spotlight.
Let's check out three new potential players for Mexico's Olympic roster ...
Cesar Montes -- Monterrey
Believe it or not, the 19-year-old starting defender for Monterrey has yet to don a national team jersey at any level. Montes made his Liga MX debut in August last year and didn't become more of a recognizable name until a couple of months ago for Los Rayados. The 6-foot-4 youngster has since solidified a starting role for the team and soon began to catch plenty of attention for his long passes and strength in the backline.
Now, the Monterrey defender is easily one of the strongest candidates to have a key role for the Olympic team this summer. Other defensive options like Antonio Briseno and Jordan Silva are a bit older than Montes, and might keep the Rayados defender on the bench, but it's tough to overlook the immense potential he has shown throughout the season for Monterrey.
Despite the fact that Gutierrez criticized Monterrey and Montes, but later apologized, it appears highly likely that we will see the defender making an impact at the Olympics.
Javier Eduardo Lopez -- Chivas
Only a few young Mexican players have garnered the same kind of attention that Lopez has collected in recent months. He has yet to start a game in the Clausura, but has been a highly impressive substitute, with his three goals and one assist since March 19.
Some eager fans have even gone as far as comparing Lopez to Lionel Messi, and even though they are over-hyping the player, it's easy to see why the youngster has amassed so much adoration and attention.
The level and skill he has shown this season is truly impressive. Lopez has shown there could be something very special about him, but fans will need to be patient with the youngster who still has plenty to prove before more comparisons are made to other world class players.
It's also key to note that the 21-year-old, like Montes, has yet to prove himself on the international stage. That being said, if the Chivas player continues his momentum, there is no reason why he shouldn't be an exciting option off the bench for Mexico in Brazil.
Alexis Vega -- Toluca
Alexis Vega likely needs much more time to develop as a player. The Toluca striker made his Liga MX debut two months ago and is still a work in progress for Los Diablos Rojos.
However, there is something quite intriguing about the young player who claimed two goals and an assist for Toluca in last week's 4-2 win over Veracruz. Vega, 18, was arguably the man of the match and scored a goal earlier in the month during the 2-1 victory against LDU Quito in the Copa Libertadores.
At the moment, there doesn't appear to be any need to rush the player who is still eligible for the Olympic squad in 2020. Yet, if Vega continues to rack up minutes as a starter in the league and knocks in a few more goals, many might push for the youngster to sneak into the Olympic roster as a backup option in the summer. At time of writing, the striker has more minutes and goals in the first-division than other options like Marco Bueno and Erick Torres.
Could Vega wear a Mexico jersey for the first time this year?