Soccer: Hugo Sanchez takes dig at All Whites

If the All Whites needed any extra motivation for Wednesday's second leg of their intercontinental playoff against Mexico at Westpac Stadium then they might want to put this quote up in their changing room that came from former Mexican striker Hugo Sanchez.

"We beat a team that is no more than a group of buddies who were rejected because they couldn't play rugby in New Zealand well and they had no choice but to switch to soccer,'' Sanchez told Mexican newspaper El Universal.

Sanchez, who enjoyed a lengthy professional playing career, including a seven-year stint with Spanish giants Real Madrid, was critical of the Mexican side for over-celebrating during their 5-1 win in the first leg at the Estadio Azteca last Thursday.

The result from the first leg has put the All Whites under immense pressure heading in to the return fixture this Wednesday and New Zealand are now in search of an unlikely 4-0 win to claim a spot at next year's World Cup in Brazil.

The Mexican football side have been under their own share of pressure during the past few months after a lacklustre Concacaf qualifying effort saw them forced in to this playoff rather than earning direct entry to Brazil.

They've overhauled their coaching set-up a number of times this year, while new coach Miguel Herrera has gone with a Mexican-based side for the team's fixtures against the All Whites rather than selecting well-known overseas players such as Manchester United's Javier Hernandez.

Sanchez's comments will likely fire the All Whites up and it should be noted that defender Ben Sigmund spent a season playing club rugby for Sumner's second division side in the mid-2000s, while midfielder Chris James also played rugby as a schoolboy in Lower Hutt.