For more than three decades, Mexico has been one of the most consistent teams in international soccer. They have qualified for every World Cup since 1994, usually make it past the group stage and have one of the most passionate fans on the planet. However, there is a barrier that El Tri has not been able to break down.

For 32 years, the Mexican team has been eliminated time and time again in the same instance: the round of 16. A streak so persistent that it ended up becoming a real curse for millions of fans.

Now, with the 2026 World Cup being held partially on Mexican soil, the team will have a unique opportunity to change history.

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The ghost of the round of 16

The so-called “curse of the fifth game” began after the 1994 World Cup in the United States. Since then, Mexico has been eliminated in the round of 16 in seven consecutive World Cups:

The streak was broken at Qatar 2022, but not in the way that fans expected: El Tri did not even manage to get past the group stage for the first time since 1978.

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The best memories came from playing at home

Curiously, Mexico's best performances in a World Cup occurred precisely when it hosted. In 1970, with Pelé and Brazil winning the title, El Tri reached the quarterfinals for the first time.

History repeated itself in 1986, when the team once again reached the top eight of the tournament before falling to Germany in a dramatic penalty shootout. But, since then, no Mexican generation has managed to match those results.

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The most important World Cup for El Tri

The context of 2026 is different. Mexico will be the first country to host three World Cups, will open the tournament at the Azteca Stadium and will play all of its group stage matches at home.

For coach Javier Aguirre, the opportunity is historic. “We know what this World Cup means to people,” said the coach, aware that the objective goes far beyond advancing to the round.

The fact is that few teams will enter the tournament with so much emotional pressure. Mexico will not only play in front of its fans in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey; It will also have the support of millions of Mexicans and Mexican Americans living in the United States.

Each victory will be celebrated as a national holiday. Each defeat will have a huge impact. And, in the middle of that scenario, the big question appears again: Will El Tri finally be able to play that long-awaited fifth game?

A curse made of numbers… and emotions

Statistics show a reality that is difficult to ignore, but football rarely responds solely to logic. 40 years ago, at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, a generation managed to excite an entire country. Four decades later, a new litter will have the chance to do it again.

For many fans, the goal is not to win the World Cup. It is something that, for any other football power, would seem much more modest. Simply break the curse.