LAS VEGAS -- El Tri manager Juan Carlos Osorio insists that the Mexico national team is in the United States to solely play soccer and will not get involved in any political discourse.
Stars like Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez and Rafa Marquez have taken to social media recently to post messages of togetherness and unity amid talk about strengthening the U.S.'s southern border, but Osorio and his squad -- currently in Las Vegas for Wednesday's friendly against Iceland -- have preferred to focus on sport.
"I think the one factor that still amazes me is the support that the Mexican national team has in any place we've played in United States," Osorio said in Tuesday's pre-game news conference.
"Hopefully tomorrow that will be the case again ... to just show that soccer as a sport doesn't have anything to do with politics or anything else."
The Mexican national team regularly holds friendly matches in the United States and played 10 times north of the border in 2016, compared to just twice in Mexico.
National team sporting director Santiago Banos confirmed that El Tri fans in the United States can expect two more games ahead of the June World Cup qualifiers, with one set to be played in New York and the other in Los Angeles, although the opponents have not yet been named.
"We want to leave politics to one side," Banos said on Monday after the team arrived at its hotel.
"We like coming to the United States to be with the people, to give joy to the many countrymen that have been working here a long time.
"[We want] them to go and support their national team and give them that connection with their country through football, which is what interests us."
Wednesday's game against Iceland is the first of a busy year for El Tri, who will be involved in World Cup qualifying, the Gold Cup and the Confederations Cup.