But 37-year-old defender Claudio Suarez, who has won 174 caps, and veteran midfielder Jesus Arellano were surprise inclusions in the list from which La Volpe will choose his final 23 players.

Blanco, as famous for his scintillating skill as his unpredictable temperament, is widely viewed as one of Mexico's most creative players ever and speculation about his exclusion had been a long-running saga.

Perhaps best remembered for the outrageous "bunny-hopping" between defendings with the ball lodged between his ankles, Blanco played in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups.