England to play Mexico

England will play Mexico on May 24 at Wembley Stadium in the lead up to the World Cup.

I see this a very intriguing match-up. With this friendly, it is obvious that England coach Fabio Capello is not taking Team USA lightly.  England’s first match in the World Cup will be against the USA. This friendly suggests that Capello is hoping to prepare his team for a match against a CONCACAF opponent. The recognition that playing the biggest rival of your opponent in a friendly is quite astute.

Capello will know that the USA has had Mexico’s number in the past decade, but that Mexico has been on the up-slope as of late. Capello will learn what the US does best against Mexico in order to help his team defend against those tactics, but at the same time, he will also learn what Mexico does best against the US. And Capello is a genius. He will be able to adapt the strengths that Mexico uses against the US to fit the England style of play.

The upside for the US is that they will get a good look at England and how they play against Mexico. This game is intriguing for both coaches and a lot of tape will be watched.