Brazil vs Mexico: Win over Brazil Would Shoot Mexicans Up FIFA World Rankings

There will be plenty of implications stemming from the results of the match between Brazil and Mexico at Cowboys Stadium on Sunday. One major implication is that if Mexico is able to come away victorious, they would undoubtedly shoot up the FIFA World Rankings.

The new rankings won't be released until June 9, but a win against the Brazilians would be an impressive accomplishment for Mexico, who seem to have a growing list of accomplishments these days. Under manager Jose Manuel de la Torre, the Mexicans beat Wales 2-0 in their last match, and they're scheduled to compete in a friendly against Bosnia-Herzegovina tomorrow at Soldier Field in Chicago.

The last time the two teams met, Brazil defeated Mexico with a hard-fought 2-1 victory. And the Brazilians have not suffered defeat in their last eight matches. Propelled by their scary attacking force of world-class football players, Hulk, Neymar and Leandro Damiao, they are all but set to defeat Mexico once again.

The Mexican offense has been looking pretty impressive lately, however. In their recent match against Wales, Aldo de Nigris scored two goals—one with his head and one with his chest—as his team cruised to a 2-0 victory.

Despite the recent success of Mexico's offense, the focus will be on their defensive players in this tilt. Brazil is among the best in the world when it comes to keeping the ball in their offensive territory, meaning that Mexico's Hector Moreno, Francisco Rodriguez and Carlos Salcido will need to be on top of their game for this one.

The Mexican offense has been effective in their counterattack game in the past, and will surely need to excel in that area on Sunday if they want to climb a few spots in the FIFA World Rankings. Keep an eye on Javier Hernandez, as he is El Tri's best offensive weapon, and he's sure to be fresh after sitting out the match against Wales.

Brazil is faster and stronger than Mexico—in large part, because they have Hulk and Neymar—so the Mexicans will have to rely on an intelligent game plan to get a win here.

Mexico's best option would be to try to catch Brazilian defenders David Luiz, Thiago Silva and Marcelo off guard through counterattacks. That is no easy task, though, as the three make up one of the best back lines in the world. 

Mexico might have a tough go at it on Sunday, but they've played well against Brazil before, and are not afraid of the No. 6 ranked team in the world. Even though they lost to the Brazilians in their last meeting, that one-goal margin can be considered a moral victory of sorts, as it surely helped them build confidence for this match.