Eight gold medalists named to Mexico's final 23

• by Mike Woitalla  @MikeWoitalla, May 9, 2014

[WORLD CUP 2014] Mexico coach Miguel Herrera won't bother with a 30-man preliminary roster -- having named his final 23-player World Cup squad on Friday. A roster that includes eight players from Mexico’s 2012 Olympic gold-medal team, six European-based players, and 17 who play for Mexican clubs.

Herrera picked five players from Club America, the team he coached when recruited to salvage El Tri’s qualifying campaign. Not making the squad was Club America keeper Moises Munoz, who spent part of his youth living in Northern California. Munoz, who played for Herrera at Club America, played in both playoff wins against New Zealand and in El Tri’s 2-2 tie with the USA in April.

Tigres defender Carlos Salcido, a veteran of the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, earned a spot despite not having previously called in by Herrera.

Salcido is among nine 2010 World Cup nine returnees, who include Rafael Marquez, Giovani Dos Santos and Javier Hernandez.

As had been announced after Herrera visited him at Real Sociedad in February, Carlos Vela, arguably Mexico’s most talented attacker, will not be ending his estrangement from El Tri that began in 2011.

The Olympic gold medalists in the squad are Jesus Corona, Diego Reyes, Hector Herrera, Marco Fabian, Raul Jimenez, Oribe Peralta, Salcido and dos Santos. Isaac Brizuela, who was born in San Jose, also made the team.

World Cup 2014: Warmup Schedule

Mexico will play three warmup games in the USA, against Ecuador May 31 in Arlington, Texas; Bosnia-Herzogovina June 3 in Chicago; and Portugal June 6 in Foxboro, Mass.

Mexico Roster (23 players)
Goalkeepers: Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul), Guillermo Ochoa (Ajaccio/FRA), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca)
Defenders: Paul Aguilar (Club America), Andres Guardado (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Miguel Layun (Club America), Rafael Marquez (Leon), Hector Moreno (Espanyol/SPA), Diego Reyes (Porto/POR), Francisco Javier Rodriguez (Club America), Carlos Salcido (Tigres).
Midfielders: Isaac Brizuela (Toluca), Marco Fabian (Cruz Azul), Hector Herrera (Porto/POR), Juan Carlos Medina (Club America), Luis Montes (Leon), Carlos Pena (Leon), Jose Juan Vazquez (Leon).
Forwards: Giovani Dos Santos (Villarreal/SPA), Javier Hernandez (Manchester United/ENG), Raul Jimenez (Club America), Oribe Peralta (Santos), Alan Pulido (Tigres).