On the international stage, Borgetti first played with Mexico on 5 February 1997 against Ecuador. He would not make his mark internationally, however, until the qualification campaign for the 2002 FIFA World Cup began in late 2000. After the qualification campaign proved successful for Mexico, Borgetti became a regular starter within the squad and went on to score goals for his country at the 2001 Copa América, the 2002 World Cup, and the 2004 Copa América.