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Mexico call up MLS players Pizarro and Dos Santos for November friendlies

Major League Soccer players Rodolfo Pizarro and Jonathan dos Santos have been called into Mexico's men's squad for friendlies in Austria against South Korea and Japan, although Sporting Kansas City's Alan Pulido misses out.

Pulido would likely have missed the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs with Sporting KC due to MLS rules indicating a 10-day quarantine for players traveling from abroad, while Pizarro and Dos Santos are still in clubs in the fight for the playoff spots and would likely not be involved in games if their teams get over the line.

ESPN Mexico's Leon Lecanda has also said that Pulido is out for three to four weeks after injuring his medial collateral ligament of the left knee during training with SKC.

The play-in round of the MLS playoffs is set for Nov. 20 with the first round of the playoffs following on, although the dates haven't been announced as yet, with the USMNT not calling any MLS-based players into its squad for games against Wales and Panama.

Elsewhere in Gerardo "Tata" Martino's squad, winger Hirving Lozano returns to El Tri for the first time since October 2019 after not being able to attend the win over the Netherlands and tie against Algeria last month due to COVID-19 restrictions at club side Napoli, while Club America goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is back from injury.

Mexico captain and Real Betis midfielder Andres Guardado is set to miss out due to injury, but will visit the squad in Austria. PSV Eindhoven's Erick Gutierrez has an ankle injury and is also absent.

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Of the younger generation, Jorge Sanchez (Club America), Edson Alvarez (Ajax), Gilberto Sepulveda (Chivas), Sebastian Cordova (Club America), Erick Aguirre (Pachuca), Diego Lainez (Real Betis) and Uriel Antuna (Chivas) will all make the trip to Austria for Mexico's final games of 2020.

LA Galaxy striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez is currently injured and once again misses out, while Chivas forward Jose Juan Macias is also injured.

Mexico's Under-23 squad will also have a camp in Mexico City in preparation for Olympic qualifying, with all the players based in Liga MX.

El Tri defeated the Netherlands and tied against Algeria last month and is currently 11th in the FIFA world rankings.

Full Squad:

Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (America), Alfredo Talavera (Pumas), Hugo Gonzalez (Monterrey)

Defenders: Jorge Sanchez (America), Cesar Montes (Monterrey), Jesus Gallardo (Monterrey), Luis Rodriguez (Tigres), Carlos Salcedo (Tigres), Edson Alvarez (Ajax), Nestor Araujo (Celta Vigo), Hector Moreno (Al-Gharafa), Luis Romo (Cruz Azul), Gilberto Sepulveda (Chivas)

Midfielders: Sebastian Cordova (America), Carlos Rodriguez (Monterrey), Erick Aguirre (Pachuca), Hector Herrera (Atletico Madrid), Jonathan dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Orbelin Pineda (Cruz Azul)

Forwards: Henry Martin (America), Diego Lainez (Real Betis), Jesus Corona (Porto), Raul Jimenez (Wolves), Hirving Lozano (Napoli), Rodolfo Pizarro (Inter Miami), Uriel Antuna (Chivas)