McDonald’s sponsor of the Mexican National Soccer Team’s 2009 U.S. Tour.

For the fifth consecutive year, McDonald’s will again team up with the Mexican National Soccer team (MNT) as exclusive restaurant sponsor of its five-city U.S. friendly match tour. The sponsorship includes pre-game youth soccer clinics conducted by former MNT star Missael Espinoza and a player escort program.

The season kicks off January 28 in Oakland at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum with Mexico squaring off against Sweden.

“We are very pleased to be back for another year of exciting soccer action with the MNT in 2009,” said Cristina Vilella, director of marketing McDonald’s USA. “What makes our youth soccer clinics unique is that they provide aspiring soccer hopefuls the opportunity to learn from professionals.”

“As we enter a very important FIFA World Cup qualifying year, we are excited to once again join forces with McDonald’s, a longtime supporter of the Mexican National Team,” said Kathy Carter, executive vice president of Soccer United Marketing. “Their philanthropic efforts in the various markets where the games take place positively impacts the communities and we are proud to partner with a company that gives back as much as they do.”

Espinoza, a member of MNT’s 1994 World Cup team, will lead approximately 100 youth through drills at each clinic. The clinics provide kids with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of playing on a professional field and training side-by-side with a professional soccer player. At the end of each clinic, 22 children will be selected to return on game-day to serve as McDonald’s Player Escorts. Each child will escort a player onto the field and stand alongside them during the national anthem.