Javier Hernandez was left "disillusioned" after Mexico were beaten 4-1 by Germany in the Confederations Cup semi-finals, but the striker believes his side are making progress.
Reported Bayern Munich target Leon Goretzka scored twice in the first eight minutes to put Joachim Low's young team firmly in control, with Timo Werner and Amin Younes adding second-half strikes.
Marco Fabian hit a brilliant free-kick to get Mexico on the scoresheet, but Hernandez does not believe the result was unfair, as suggested by coach Juan Carlos Osorio, despite El Tri recording more possession than the world champions.
"[I feel] sad, disillusioned, but with my head held high and proud of all the team, the coaching staff and the fans," said Hernandez.
"If football was about justice, it'd be a different story. That's not to demerit what Germany did or to give an excuse. The only thing in our heads is that we are sad. Nobody wants to lose like that, in a semi. We really wanted to reach the final.
"But that is football. We went up against the world champions and it's been useful for Mexican football to know where we are."
The 2017 Final: Chile vs Germany Saint Petersburg Sunday 2 July 21:00 local time June 29, 2017
Mexico went out at the group stage of the Confederations Cup four years ago and Hernandez says the progress made at the competition in Russia shows his team are getting better.
"We are playing the European champion [Portugal] in the third-place playoff, which is something we didn't reach four years ago, so something is improving," added the Bayer Leverkusen striker.
"We're going step by step, it's not night and day."
