Jonathan Dos Santos out of squad, Giovani upset

Twenty-year-old Barcelona midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos is the odd man out as coach Javier Aguirre cut the squad from 24 to 23 today (see below for full squad).

Jonathan's father, Brazilian ex-Monterrey player Zizinho, slammed the Mexican football federation and said Aguirre had "no balls."

Director of Football, Nestor De la Torre told the press of the decision.

Stated Zizinho: "We don't do what Brazil and Argentina do. Ronaldinho, Ronaldo were on the bench for their first World Cup and look what they achieved after."

Continued Zizinho: "The shirt of Mexico doesn't serve anything ... Why is Giovani (Jonathan's brother) there? Mexican football is dirty (corrupt). I don't know what there is inside."

"My son should never again put on the shirt of Mexico. For me it's trash. I respect Giovani for being there but Jonathan should wear the shirt of Brazil or Spain, there they'll respect him.

Zizinho's main grudge appears to be that Aguirre had visited Jonathan in Barcelona and heaped praise on him as the future of Mexican football.

Zizinho also says Giovani is "gutted" that his brother won't be with him in South Africa: "He doesn't want to play in the World Cup. He wanted me to come to Germany to get him. He's destroyed."

"You think Giovani will perform at the World Cup," added Zizinho. "Both of them called me crying."

The news of the state of Giovani's mind is potentially the most damaging part of what Zizinho said. Giovani is key to Mexico's chances in South Africa.

Mexico's squad, in full: Oscar Perez (Chiapas), Guillermo Ochoa (America), Luis Ernesto Michel (Guadalajara); Rafael Marquez (Barcelona), Ricardo Osorio (Stuttgart), Francisco Rodriguez, Carlos Salcido (both PSV Eindhoven), Hector Moreno (AZ Alkmaar), Paul Aguilar (Pachuca), Efrain Juarez (Pumas UNAM), Jonny Magallon (Guadalajara), Jorge Torres Nilo (Atlas); Andres Guardado (Deportivo La Coruna), Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Israel Castro (Pumas UNAM), Giovani dos Santos (Galatasaray, on loan from Tottenham); Pablo Barrera (Pumas UNAM), Adolfo Bautista, Alberto Medina (both Guadalajara), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Veracruz), Carlos Vela (Arsenal), Javier Hernandez (Manchester United), Guillermo Franco (West Ham).