The performance of Henry Martín in the 2026 Open tournament has sparked controversy, with his exclusion from the Mexican national team fueling a heated debate among fans and analysts. Meanwhile, Martín's impressive goal-scoring record has contributed to the growing success of the American team, making it increasingly challenging to justify his absence from the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals against Jamaica.
The top Mexican marksman in the MX League has solidified his position as the league's top scorer, accumulating eleven goals in fourteen games played this semester. This impressive performance has propelled the captain of the Águilas to second place in the competition's individual goal-scoring standings, narrowly behind Venezuelan forward Salomón Rondón, who has scored sixteen goals for Pachuca's Tuzos.
Rumors have surfaced suggesting that Henry Martín may have been preferred over Armando León for the TRI, citing his impressive goal-scoring record in the United States as a key factor in this decision.
The French national team's coach opted for a unique lineup, featuring four forwards, in a tactical move that caught the football community off guard. Among the selected strikers was Armando León, a player currently trying his luck in the Croatian league, whose inclusion was a notable surprise.
Henry Martín leads the league in effectiveness with a score of 0.78 goals per match played. Since scoring his first goal on the third day of the championship, he has consistently delivered strong performances, notching victories against top clubs including Santos, Juárez, Necaxa, León, Pachuca, Toluca, and Pumas in a high-profile match at Ciudad Universitaria.
Former Mexican football player Hugo Sanchez expressed amusement when discussing Henry Martin's performance, breaking into laughter upon recalling the moment. Sanchez found the phrase 'it's breaking' to be particularly endearing, evoking a sympathetic response from him.
Rafael Márquez has selected four key players to represent the national team in international competition: Santiago Giménez, Julián Quiñones, Armando González, and Armando León. Notably, Quiñones has demonstrated a strong affinity for the team's style, having scored ten goals in fifteen matches for Saudi Arabia's Al-Qadsiah across league and continental tournaments, resulting in an average of 0.66 goals per match. This impressive performance was preceded by his standout performance in the previous World Cup.
Armando González, the striker for Olympiacos, has contributed minimally to the team's success in the Greek Super League, scoring in only one of seven matches. However, he has been more prolific in other competitions, netting two goals in the Europa League and three in the local cup, resulting in an average of 0.46 goals per match across thirteen appearances.
Mexico National Team Coach Javier Aguirre reportedly removed striker Henry Martín from the team due to a disciplinary issue, potentially affecting his selection for the national squad.
Armando León, a notable player, achieved five goals in 13 matches against Croatian club Osijek, demonstrating a moderate effectiveness rate of 0.38, which highlights the perceived sports injustice suffered by the goalkeeper of Coapa.
