Argentina Eliminated by Mexico in U17 World Cup Round of 16

Breaking News update November 14, 2025

Argentina Eliminated by Mexico in U17 World Cup Round of 16

By Md Zamal Uddin

Published November 14, 2025

The Argentine U17 national team was eliminated from the Qatar U-17 World Cup after losing to Mexico 5-4 in a penalty shootout, following a 2-2 draw in regulation time. The Mexican goalkeeper, Santiago López, was the hero of the night, saving Gastón Bouhier's initial penalty and converting the decisive kick to send Mexico to the Round of 16, where they will face Portugal.

Match Summary: Argentina vs Mexico U17

Diego Placente’s team started the match confidently. At 8 minutes, Ramiro Tulián opened the scoring after a short-corner play by Felipe Esquivel, leading to a precise shot to the second post. Argentina maintained pressure, and Enzo Fernández came close to extending the lead with a strike reminiscent of his 2022 Qatar U17 World Cup performance.

However, Mexico responded strongly in the second half. Within twelve minutes, Luis Gamboa scored twice, first opening the lead and later with a brilliant volley. The second goal was closely reviewed by the Italian referee Andrea Colombo using VAR and confirmed, marking a dramatic turnaround for the North American team.

Argentina’s Late Equalizer

Argentina, which had been the top team in the group stage with a perfect record, pushed hard in the final minutes. At 42 minutes of the second half, center-back Fernando Closter scored with a header from a corner taken by Simon Escobar. The goal was validated after VAR review, tying the match 2-2 and sending it to penalties.

Penalty Shootout Drama

During the penalty shootout, striker Gastón Bouhier missed Argentina’s first attempt, with López making a crucial save. Santiago López then converted the decisive kick, completing a 5-4 penalty victory for Mexico. Argentina, despite qualifying as the best third-place team due to fair play, exited the tournament with a bitter feeling.

Key Highlights

Mexico maintains dominance against Argentina in U17 history, winning three out of four encounters.
Placente’s team controlled most of the match but failed to convert territorial advantage into a victory.
This U17 squad showed promise for the future but will take valuable lessons from the elimination.