Dos Santos brothers to join Mexican team for World Cup qualifiers
Gio and Jonathan dos Santos, brothers and teammates with the Galaxy, have both been called up to the Mexican national team for next month’s World Cup qualifiers with Panama and Costa Rica.
Both are expected to play in Sunday’s MLS game against San Jose at the StubHub Center before heading to Mexico City for training.
Also named to the roster was LAFC attacker Carlos Vela, currently playing for Real Sociedad in Spain, and forward Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, Mexico’s all-time leading scorer. Hernandez has two goals in as many games this season for West Ham United in the English Premier League.
Gio dos Santos, a forward, has sat out the Galaxy’s last two games because of a hamstring issue and hasn’t had a goal or assist in MLS play in three months. He played in three of Mexico’s six games in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup 2018 qualifying and also appeared in three matches at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia this summer.
His next international appearance will be his 100th for Mexico.
Jonathan dos Santos, a midfielder, made his Galaxy debut this month after being acquired from Spain’s Villarreal. He has four appearances in this qualifying campaign, last starting in Mexico’s 1-1 draw with the U.S. on June 11. He played in four Confederations Cup matches and has 29 international caps.
Mexico tops the CONCACAF qualifying table with 14 points, three ahead of Costa Rica. It will play Panama at Estadio Azteca outside Mexico City on Sept. 1 then travel to face Costa Rica for its next qualifier Sept. 5.
Mexico will play the Panama game without manager Juan Carlos Osorio, who will be in the final game of a six-game suspension for aggressive actions against an official during the Confederation Cup.
The Mexican roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Rodolfo Cota (Guadalajara), Guillermo Ochoa (Standard Liege), Jesús Corona (Cruz Azul)
Defenders (6): Diego Reyes (Porto), Edson Álvarez (Club América), Nestor Araujo (Santos Laguna), Hugo Ayala (Tigres), Jair Pereira (Guadalajara), Héctor Moreno (AS Roma)
Midfielders (8): Jesus Gallardo (Pumas), Héctor Herrera (Porto FC), Jonathan dos Santos (Galaxy), Orbelín Pineda (Guadalajara), Jesús Dueñas (Tigres), Andrés Guardado (Real Betis), Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad), Erick Gutiérrez (Club Pachuca)
Forwards (8): Giovani Dos Santos (Galaxy), Jesús Corona (Porto FC), Jurgen Damm (Tigres), Javier Aquino (Tigres), Hirving Lozano (PSV Eindhoven), Javier Hernández (West Ham United), Raúl Jiménez (Benfica), Elías Hernández (Club León)
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