In just a few hours from now, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon will clash against the Mexican national team El Tri at the Das Dunas stadium in the Brazilian State of Natal. Though it will be the first time both national squads are meeting at a final phase of the World Cup competition, EL Tri are not novice. The first time they set foot at the final phase of the FIFA World Cup was in 1923 against Guatemala. During that memorable encounter, the Mexicans beat their opponent 3-2. Since then, they have not only been regular participants at the final phase of the competition but played host to it in 1970 and 1986.

Though they have participated fifteen times at the final phase of the tournament, their 2014 FIFA World Cup journey to Brazil was not an easy one. From October 2010 to 2013, the national squad saw three coaches filed past the dressing room with each of them departing as soon as he came. The most resistance of them is Miguel Herrera. Appointed by the Mexican football federation as interim coach for the last decisive qualification match against New Zeeland, the tenacious trainer within a few weeks succeeded in putting up a conquering Mexican team that thrashed the All Whites of New Zeeland 5-1 at the inner bowl of the Azteca stadium during the away leg and 4 -2 during the return leg in Wellington on the 20th of November 2013.

The brilliant qualification of the team did not only prompt the Mexican football federation to offer Miguel Herrera a permanently job, but gave him the leeway to select and prepare the team for the 2014 World Cup. Since then, he has coined a solid squad with most of the players plying their trade in the Mexican domestic league. Out of the 23 players only two, Dos Santos and Javier Hernandez are in big clubs out of the country.

For today's encounter, the Mexican trainer, Miguel Herrera, might opt for his usual 5-3-2 that has so far fetch him victories. After all, since the arrival of the team in Brazil, he has been re-iterating to the international press the importance of the first match against Cameroon. To him, the objective of El Tri is attained at least the quarter finals of the competition. Thus, victory at all cost against Cameroon will brighten their chances of moving to the second round of the competition.

It should be noted that Mexico who have attained the quarter final stage of the competition twice, have for the last six editions never been eliminated from the first round of the competition. This time will history repeat itself? That is the question veteran Rafael Marquez and co shall be seeking answers after losing to Portugal and Bosnia in their warm-up matches.