THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MEXICO CITY -- Mexico coach Sven-Goran Eriksson defended calling up four naturalized players on Wednesday in the face of heavy criticism from local media.

Eriksson, already under fire after Mexico stumbled into the regional finals of World Cup qualifying, summoned Antonio Naelson, Leandro Augusto, Matias Vuoso and Lucas Ayala for a friendly against Sweden on Jan. 28 in Oakland, California.

"It's hard for a Swede to understand this criticism because the rules say that I can call any player with a Mexican passport," Eriksson told a press conference. "I'm a guest in this country, I'm happy, and I just follow the rules.

"I believe that if a man with a Mexican passport can vote for the president, then they have the right to play for the team. But if they can vote and can't play for the national squad, to me that is something strange. I don't agree with that thinking."

Some of the criticism has also had to do with the quality of the players.

Ayala, a midfielder born in Argentina and a naturalized Mexican for five years, played for Atlas and was picked ahead of former internationals Israel Lopez of Toluca and Jaime Correa of Pachuca.

"It's a little bit hard for me to understand all of this ... if I don't call Vuoso or 'Sinha,' you guys will criticize me, but if I call Lucas Ayala I get criticized -- it's not fair," Eriksson said.

"I saw Lucas Ayala, and he played very, very well in the InterLiga. Lucas Ayala, just like the others, has a Mexican passport.

"I can understand what you are saying, but if I feel that Vuoso is better than another Mexican then I will call him because I want to do well for me, for the team and for Mexico. I will not call him just because he is naturalized, but because he's the best right now, and the rules allow me to."

Eriksson will announce the final squad to play Sweden on Friday.

Mexico's next qualifier was against the United States on Feb. 11.