Érik Lira
CB (CM)
Box-to-Box
May 8, 2000 (26)
Right
5'8"
137 lb
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Assists versus South Africa
Lira assisted once to go with one chance created in Thursday's 2-0 win over South Africa.
Analysis: Lira took advantage of a defensive mistake to recover the ball near the opposing goal, getting the final touch before Julian Quinones' ninth-minute opener during the victory. The holding midfielder recorded 76 minutes on the pitch before being replaced by Edson Alvarez, with whom he's expected to rotate during the competition. Lira is a solid defensive performer, but he's unlikely to find direct contributions to the score sheet in every game given his deep role.
Midfield shield for national team
Lira is in line to make his first World Cup appearances as he contends for a central midfield role in Mexico's lineup.
Analysis: Lira excelled last season in a center-back spot with Liga MX champions Cruz Azul, though he's expected to serve as a holding midfielder for Mexico. His recent performances with the national team have been encouraging, even if most of his production comes through possession and ball recovery numbers rather than attacking contributions. The versatile man can occasionally struggle with fouls, but he could still open the World Cup as a starter while his positional rival Edson Alvarez works his way back to full fitness following a lengthy injury absence.
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