ARLINGTON, Texas, USA. —
Mexico emerged victorious from its first test in the return of coach Javier Aguirre against an opponent that demanded very little. Repeating the winning formula in the second will be a little more complicated.
“Vasco” Aguirre and the Mexican national team will face Canada on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, in a preparation match for two teams that will host the 2026 World Cup.
Aguirre returned to the Mexican dugout after 14 years with a 3-0 win over New Zealand on Saturday.
“It is premature to expect a fantastic performance, you have three or four training sessions and you cannot overload the players,” Aguirre said on Monday. “These are preparation matches and it is worth taking some liberties, in these matches you need to see many things, but winning is important because it boosts your morale.”
Aguirre, who coached Mexico at the 2002 World Cup in Korea-Japan and 2010 in South Africa, is the third coach to lead Mexico since Argentine Gerardo Martino left the post at the end of the 2022 World Cup — the first since 1978 in which El Tri was eliminated after the group stage.
The last of them was Jaime Lozano, who was fired after the elimination in the first round of the last Copa América.
Aguirre mentioned 17 players who participated in the continental tournament.
“We are arriving at a delicate moment, the last three coaches have managed the same number of players, but it is what we have,” said the coach. “We have to see if in these two years we can find new talents, to see if we are capable of presenting ourselves (in 2026) with a capable, trained team with few weaknesses.”
Against New Zealand, Aguirre gave goalkeeper Raúl Rangel the opportunity to compete for the spot left by veteran Guillermo Ochoa, Mexico’s first-choice goalkeeper during the last three World Cups.
Ochoa, 39, is not giving up on a sixth World Cup, although it would only be his fourth if he can regain his starting position. He faces rivals such as Rangel, Luis Malagón and Alex Padilla, who received his first call-up to the senior team.
“It’s an open competition for any of the three. Anyone can play, that’s what the coach told us,” Rangel said. “That gives you a different feeling, Luis Malagón and Alex Padilla are great goalkeepers who work hard. That’s where the fight is.”
Aguirre confirmed on Monday that Malagón will start against Canada at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He also guaranteed that center back Victor Guzman will start in the absence of Cesar Montes. Meanwhile, Erik Lira will replace Luis Chavez and Cesar Huerta replaces Julian Quinones.
Chávez and Quiñones left the match against New Zealand with muscle discomfort.
“If tomorrow’s match was in a tournament with three points at stake I would probably use them, but that’s not the case,” Aguirre said of the changes.
While Mexico is still looking to regain its credibility, Canada is the opposite. They are coming off a Copa America in which they reached the semi-finals and beat the United States 2-1 at the weekend.
“Canada is a more intense rival and will demand more from us, will close spaces, will put high pressure on us, will compete more in individual duels,” said Aguirre. “It will be intense, the players are warned, if they overdo it in the conduct, if we do not compete intensely, we will suffer.”
It was just the Canadians’ first win over their neighbours on the road since 1957, a streak of 23 games.
“You can see the mentality that the team has developed and the way they play,” said coach Jesse Marsch. “You can tell how much they love playing for their national team and how willing they are to put their careers on the line to give everything for themselves and the team.”
Aguirre praised the qualities of his rival, but said that for now he is more concerned about what the Mexican team does beyond the results.
“Defeat is likely in a football match, it would hurt if the team did nothing to win, that would really hurt me,” said the “Vasco.” “Seeing a passive and soulless team is like a kick in the stomach, I cannot conceive of a Mexican team led by me that does not fight and does not feel the colors. Whoever does not understand that philosophy can go home.”
