Former Red Bulls midfielder-defender Rafa Marquez makes his return to New Jersey June 1. (Andy Mead/YCJ Photo)

NEW YORK – Chicharito, Carlos, Carlos Velas, Hector Herrera, Miguel Layun, Andres Guardado, former Red Bull Rafa Marquez and Jonathan dos Santos are among the players named to the 31-man Mexican roster for its upcoming matches in the United States.

El Tri will meet Croatia at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum May 27 and Ireland at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford June 1.

The roster features several World Cup veterans and national team staples, including Bayer Leverkusen ace Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez, Vela (Real Sociedad, Hector Herrera (Porto FC) and Layun (Porto FC), Guardado (PSV Eindhoven) and dos Santos (Villarreal).

Also on the roster are top Liga MX stars, including America forward Oribe Peralta, Pachuca forward Hirving Lozano, a key player in his team’s Clausura 2016 title victory, and national team captain and Atlas defender Marquez, as well as Cruz Azul goalkeeper and Olympic gold medalist Jesús Corona.

The Mexicans are directed by Juan Carlos Osorio, who coached the Red Bulls in 2008-09.

Both matches will serve as important tune-ups as Osorio looks to finalize his rosters for their two World Cup qualifying matches against Honduras and the United States, the FIFA Confederation’s Cup the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Tickets for the matches are on sale on through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1-800-745-3000.

The Mexican roster:

Goalkeepers: Jesús Corona (Cruz Azul), Guillermo Ochoa (Granada), Alfredo Talavera** (Toluca)

Defenders: Oswaldo Alanís** (Guadalajara), Néstor Araujo (Santos Laguna), Raúl López (Pachuca), Rafael Márquez (Atlas), Héctor Moreno (PSV Eindhoven), Diego Reyes (Espanyol), Luis Reyes (Atlas), Carlos Salcedo*** (Fiorentina)

Midfielders: Jonathan Dos Santos (Villarreal), Jesús Dueñas** (Tigres), Andrés Guardado (PSV Eindhoven), Erick Gutiérrez (Pachuca), Elías Hernández (León), Jorge Hernández (Pachuca), Héctor Herrera (Porto FC), Miguel Layún (Porto FC), Jesús Molina (Monterrey), Orbelín Pineda** (Guadalajara)

Forwards: Javier Aquino** (Tigres), Jesús Manuel Corona (Porto FC), Jurgen Damm** (Tigres), Marco Fabián*** (Eintracht Frankfurt), Jesús Gallardo (Pumas), Javier Hernández (Bayer Leverkusen), Raúl Jiménez** (Benfica), Hirving Lozano (Pachuca), Oribe Peralta (América), Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad)

Head coach: Juan Carlos Osorio

** Pending approval from his club

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.