Mexico and Poland’s only previous Fifa World Cup meeting was in the group phase of the 1978 edition. Poland won 3-1.
Mexico will participate in the Fifa World Cup for the 17th time, while Qatar 2022 will be their eighth consecutive appearance in the finals. No team has played as many games as Mexico at the Fifa World Cup without ever reaching the final (57).
Mexico have progressed from their first-round group in each of their last eight Fifa World Cup appearances, last failing to do so in 1978. Indeed, the Tricolor have won their opening group stage match in five of their last six World Cups (D1).
Mexico kept more clean sheets during the third round of CONCACAF qualifying for this year’s Fifa World Cup than any other nation (eight), with only table toppers Canada (seven) conceding fewer goals at that stage than the Tricolor (eight).
Poland have qualified for their ninth Fifa World Cup; however, they haven’t made it past the group stages since 1986, losing eight of their last 11 matches at the tournament.
Poland have only won one of their eight previous Fifa World Cup opening matches (D3 L4), winning 3-2 versus Argentina in 1974 with Grzegorz Lato netting a brace.
Poland’s last five goals at the Fifa World Cup have come from set-pieces (three from corners, two from indirect free-kicks). Their last goal from open play at the tournament was 20 years ago, by Pawel Kryszalowicz against USA.
Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa was the only player to feature in all 14 of their qualifying matches for the 2022 Fifa World Cup. He has played each of the nation’s eight matches in the finals across the last two editions (2014 and 2018) and could become only the second Mexico goalkeeper to make an appearance in three separate World Cup tournaments, after Antonio Carbajal (five from 1950 to 1966).
Mexico’s Andrés Guardado could play in a record-equaling fifth different edition of the Fifa World Cup. Coming into this year’s tournament, only three players have played in five tournaments, including two Mexicans (Antonio Carbajal and Rafael Márquez) and a German (Lothar Matthäus).
Robert Lewandowski had a hand in 13 goals in Fifa World Cup 2022 qualification (9 goals, 4 assists), more than twice as many as any other Poland player. In his only previous World Cup appearance in 2018, he failed to find the net in 270 minutes of play.