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Mexico have recalled 36-year-old forward Cuauhtemoc Blanco (pictured) and defender Rafael Marquez for next month's crucial World Cup qualifier at home to bitter rivals the United States.

Arsenal's Carlos Vela and Tottenham's Giovani Dos Santos are also in the squad.

Mexico, who badly need a win in the August 12 match to put their qualifying campaign back on track, also left out 11 members of the squad that won the CONCACAF Gold Cup last week.

Mexico beat the US 5-0 in the final, their first win away to their neighbours for 10 years, although both teams were below full-strength after opting to rest several top players.

Blanco, who has won more than 100 caps, announced his international retirement last week but has been re-instated to the squad since Javier Aguirre replaced Sven-Goran Eriksson as coach.

Famous for his sublime skills and volatile temper, Blanco played for Mexico in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups but was left out of the 2006 squad by Ricardo La Volpe.

"I'm very happy, it's another target in my career and I'm going to try and take the team to the World Cup," said Blanco in.

Marquez, much-criticised for being sent off when the US beat Mexico in a World Cup qualifier last February, is recovering from a knee injury he suffered in April.

Mexico are fourth in the six-team CONCACAF final stage group with six points from five games. Costa Rica lead with 12, followed by the US on 10 and Honduras on seven.

The top three teams qualify directly for the World Cup and the fourth plays off against the fifth-placed team from South America.

Defeats in Honduras, El Salvador and the US have left Mexico in danger of missing out on the World Cup for the first time since 1990.

However, three of their remaining five games are at home starting with the US game at the Azteca in Mexico City.

Despite Sunday's win, Mexico have a poor recent record against the US and rivalry between the pair has developed into one of the most intense in international football.

Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (America), Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul)

Defenders: Efrain Juarez (Pumas UNAM), Jose Antonio Castro (Tigres UANL), Rafael Marquez (Barcelona), Jonny Magallon (Guadalajara), Ricardo Osorio (VfB Stuttgart), Aaron Galindo (Guadalajara), Carlos Salcido (PSV Eindhoven), Oscar Rojas (America)

Midfielders: Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Israel Castro (Pumas UNAM), Andres Guardado (Deportivo Coruna), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Chicago Fire)

Forwards: Alberto Medina (Guadalajara), Giovani Dos Santos (Tottenham), Nery Castillo (Shakhtar Donetsk), Carlos Vela (Arsenal), Miguel Sabah (Morelia), Guillermo Franco (no club)

Reuters