Mexico Crushes Serbia 5-1 in Final World Cup Tune-Up, Head Into Tournament Unbeaten

Mexico just sent a message to the rest of the World Cup field, and it came in the form of a comprehensive 5-1 demolition of Serbia in Toluca.

El Tri closed out their preparation campaign with a statement win Wednesday night at Estadio Nemesio Diez, finishing their 2026 run-in with zero losses across eight matches. Six wins, two draws, and a goal difference that has fans and pundits alike taking notice. This is a team hitting its stride at exactly the right time — three days before the tournament kicks off on home soil.

It didn't start clean. Serbia drew first blood in the 19th minute through Petar Stanic after a defensive mix-up between Johan Vasquez and Jesus Gallardo that left the Serbian striker with an open net from close range. For a moment, the familiar Mexican nervousness flickered — the kind that's haunted the team in previous World Cup cycles when things don't go according to plan, when the weight of hosting expectations starts to press.

Then the machine kicked in.

Vasquez made amends in the 34th minute with a well-placed header off a Brian Gutierrez corner to level the score. The center-back, who plays his club football in Italy's Serie A, read the flight perfectly and powered it past the Serbian keeper. It was exactly the kind of response Aguirre has been drilling into this squad — adversity comes, you answer immediately.

In first-half stoppage time, a Stefan Bukinac own goal off a Mexico cross put El Tri ahead 2-1 going into the break. Serbia's defense was unraveling, and Mexico smelled blood. The second half was all Tricolor.

Raul Jimenez produced a classy left-footed finish inside the box after a slick passing sequence to make it 3-1. The Fulham striker has been in form all prep season and his movement off the ball caused problems all night. Aguirre's decision to bring Jimenez back into the fold after the 2022-era turmoil has been fully vindicated — he's scoring, he's creating, and he's the veteran presence this young squad needs.

Another own goal, this time from Adem Avdic, stretched the lead to 4-1 as Serbia's backline completely lost its shape under relentless pressure. And Luis Chavez capped the night with a scorcher from outside the box that curled into the side netting — the kind of goal that makes highlight reels and announces to the tournament that Mexico has players who can produce magic from nothing.

Five-one. Ball game.

Javier Aguirre's squad has been building toward June 11 all year. Eight friendlies, no defeats, and now a comprehensive win over a European side that qualified for the tournament through UEFA. Serbia is no pushover — they've got quality players scattered across Europe's top leagues — and Mexico made them look ordinary for 75 minutes of the match.

The questions that hung over El Tri after a shaky 2024 have largely been answered. The defense has tightened even when it makes mistakes. The midfield is linking up through Gutierrez, Chavez, and Orbelin Pineda. And the attack is producing goals from multiple sources — not just relying on one player to carry the load, which has been Mexico's undoing in past tournaments when the star man gets marked out of the game.

Mexico opens the 2026 World Cup on Thursday, June 11 against South Africa at Estadio Ciudad de Mexico. Kickoff is at 1:00 PM central time. The first of three host nations kicks off a tournament that runs across North America through July 19.

If this Serbia game was any indication, El Tri is not here to make up the numbers. They're here to make some real noise.