Who is Diego Cocca, the expected next manager of Mexico's national team?

• Mexico need to replace Martino
• Cocca in pole position
• El Tri want fresh approach

WHAT HAPPENED? Mexico are without a manager following Martino's departure after an early exit from World Cup 2022. The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) is expected to announce Cocca as the team's new manager imminently, according to ESPN. The FMF has chosen Cocca over Pachuca's Guillermo Almada, with Cocca set to leave Tigres despite only arriving at the club in November 2022.

WHO IS DIEGO COCCA? El Tri's new coach is set to be 50-year-old Argentine Cocca who has coached in Argentina, Colombia and Mexico but never at international level. Cocca won his first league trophy as a manager in 2014 with Racing but enjoyed his most successful spell in Mexico with Atlas. The Argentine won back-to-back Liga MX titles in the 2021 Apertura and 2022 Clausura and was named best manager in 2021 and 2022. Cocca moved to Tigres for the Clausura 2023 and currently has the team in third place in the table after five games.

WHY DO MEXICO WANT COCCA? El Tri are keen to move swiftly on from Martino's disappointing reign. The 60-year-old was an unpopular figure and a fresh approach is wanted for the national team. Mexico's group-stage exit from the World Cup has also highlighted issues that need to be addressed, including developing a new generation of strikers to add some much-needed firepower to the team. El Tri scored just two goals in three games in Qatar, with both efforts coming against Saudi Arabia.

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WHAT'S NEXT FOR MEXICO? El Tri's next game is scheduled for March 23 against Suriname in the CONCACAF Nations League.