Now Mexico can prove its worth against the big boys

	Scintillating performances of young players such as Nery Castillo have played a huge hand in Mexico's Copa América renaissance. AP
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When Mexico reached the final in its first Copa América back in 1993, it showed it could play with the best of South America, and El Tri's continued success in the world's oldest international soccer tournament proved it belonged.

But for all the progress it has made and all the paths it's blazed, Mexico has yet to prove it can win in South America when it matters the most.

In six previous Copa América participations, El Tri has reached the final twice but has walked away with two losses. Its grandest accomplishments have been a pair of third-place finishes, trophies hardly worthy a spot on a mantle.

Now, Mexico's best chance of claiming a Copa title seemingly lies ahead. With a first-place group finish and the confidence that goes along with two wins and a draw, El Tri is seemingly as much of a threat to win it all as the traditional powers, Argentina and Brazil.

Mexico already beat Brazil this tournament, handing the Seleção a convincing 2-0 defeat last week. Argentina won all three of its games, but Mexico, having already secured a quarterfinal spot, rested nine starters in the group finale and tied a Chilean side eager to walk away with a result to go through to the second phase as well.

On the sidelines, Mexico has a coach in Hugo Sánchez who has promised to elevate Mexico's play and instill a winner's mentality in the squad. Players such as Nery Castillo and Andrés Guardado have shown a break from the norm and given a new wrinkle on El Tri, while youngsters Jaime Correa, Fausto Pinto and Guillermo "Memo" Ochoa have shown a glimpse of the future.

But what separates Argentina and Brazil from Mexico is history and the ability to perform under pressure. That held true in the days before the World Cup (12 out of 12 finals with either Brazil or Argentina prior to 1930), the times before Brazil won a World Cup (three Copa titles before '58) and before Argentina hoisted its first Jules Rimet trophy (12 championships before '78).

And it holds true now. Mexico need only look back to last year to remember just how strong the Argentines are in elimination matches -- they knocked Mexico out of the '06 World Cup with a 2-1 victory in a thrilling quarterfinal match. And even though Brazil faltered in Germany last summer, it still claimed the '05 Confederations Cup, the '04 Copa America and the '02 World Cup title in the four years before that.

Those are tall accomplishments. Mexico, though, has taken steps toward much more than respectability. In addition to reaching the final in its first Copa América, Mexico won its group for the first time in 2004. El Tri has also beaten every South American nation in Copa play, with the exception of Bolivia and Paraguay.

But Mexico also has a bad habit of wilting when the spotlight is the brightest. El Tri has never won a World Cup elimination match held outside its borders, despite some impressive group-stage finishes. It followed up a monumental victory over Argentina in the '04 Copa with what was seemingly a momentum-building 2-1 win over Ecuador, only to crash out to Brazil, 4-0.