El Tri To Play Bosnia-Herzegovina, Portugal For FIFA World Cup 2014 Exhibition Games In June

As they continue to make their final preparations ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the Mexican National soccer team learned Friday they they'll enter a strong test of competition in the days prior to the start of the tournament. Hoping to go into the 32-team event in strong form, El Tri will battle World Cup talents in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Portugal on June 3 and June 6 respectively. Miguel Herrera's side will battle Bosnia at Chicago's Solider Field and then move to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts for the showdown with Portugal.

Once World Cup play begins Mexico will be forced to battle Group A opponent Croatia, Cameroon and host nation Brazil in order to move out of the opening stage. El Tri's opening competition in the summer tournament will be on June 13 against Cameroon with the squad facing Brazil on the 17tth and Croatia six days later. Randomly selected to a difficult opening group, Mexico will certainly use their pre-tournament slate as a time to test how good they truly are heading into soccer's biggest event.

While Brazil ranks ninth in the FIFA World Rankings and Croatia sixteenth, El Tri's upcoming opponents both land within the Top 20 as well. Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal -- who clinched a place at the Brazil games with a thrilling playoff victory over Sweden in World Cup Qualifying -- currently sit fourth in the poll while a talented Bosnia-Herzegovina squad lands at No. 17. In addition to the June exhibition matches, Mexico recently announced plans to face Nigeria in March while taking on the United States April 2 in Arizona.