Vela: Mexico are ready for the World Cup

Striker Carlos Vela is confident that him and his countrymen will have more than just a say in this summer's World Cup in South Africa.

The 21-year-old says that Mexico are ready to live up to expectations, having trained and prepared very well leading up to the prestigious tournament.

Mexico take on South Africa in the tournament's opening match on 11 June, and Vela says that on current form, the Mexicans are more than capable of upsetting a few of the bigger nations.

Vela said: "We're ready. We've prepared really well. It's not every day you get to play against opponents like England, the Netherlands and Italy.

"We played well against the first two but weren't able to win, which is why it meant so much to beat the reigning world champions. It was a real confidence-booster ahead of the World Cup.

"It's a great opportunity, but it's not going to be easy because it's the first match, we're up against the host nation and there's all that pressure. I think the key will be to shake off our nerves as quickly as possible and play like we have been doing these last few weeks.

"It's incredible, our fans are always with us whether we win or lose, and that really motivates us.

"These people deserve to see their team do something special in the tournament and fight to reach the latter stages.

"We've got no excuses. We're used to playing at altitude and even though we'll have (most of) the fans against us, it's not the first time we've played away from home.

"We'll just have to focus on what's happening on the pitch, that'll be the best way to win the match.

"We've known each other for years and have won titles together [at Under-17 level]: now's the time to do it at the very highest level. We're full of confidence.

"To be honest we can't wait. At first time passed really fast and now it's going so slow – we want the World Cup to start now!"

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