MEXICO CITY, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's national soccer team coach Hugo Sanchez reopened on Thursday his team to naturalized Mexicans after calling Brazilian native and midfielder Antonio Naelson Sinha for the friendly game against the United States on February 6.
"The doors are open for all Mexicans and the Constitution calls them Mexicans," said Sanchez in a press conference held on Thursday at Cancun beach resort city.
Despite always criticizing Mexico's former coach -- Argentine native Ricardo La Volpe -- for calling naturalized players, Sanchez called Sinha for the first time, allowing the option to call other naturalized players, including Argentine native Franco del Villareal.
Sanchez said Naelson Sinha is also a good and talented player and has proved his quality in the Mexican soccer league by playing well for Toluca club. He added that he might call other talented naturalized players because they are also Mexicans.
However, in October 2005, Sanchez criticized La Volpe's for hiring of naturalized soccer players: "I want to clearly state that we do not want naturalized players in our Mexican soccer team nor in our clubs, we want pure Mexicans."
