Mexico City.- After a failed experiment in turning to a young coach, Mexico will begin Javier Aguirre’s third stint in charge on Saturday when they face New Zealand in a friendly match.
Although he had been guaranteed a position as coach at the 2026 World Cup, Lozano, 45, was fired days after the team’s first-round exit at the last edition of the Copa América held in the United States after just over 12 months in the job.
“Jimmy” Lozano arrived at the post with little club experience and the meritorious achievement of a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In the end, that lack of experience as a strategist ended up costing him his job.
The leaders made a complete change of direction and convinced 65-year-old “Vasco” Aguirre to take charge of the team for the third time. He had previously managed the team at the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan and in South Africa 2010. Both stages ended with elimination in the round of 16.
“It is a pride to be here again, coming to my country always comforts me and coming to the national team is a new challenge,” said Aguirre. “This project is not about saving a qualifying round (as happened in 2002), it is something that will last until 2030 and I am very excited about it.”
Aguirre’s contract is only for two years, but the leaders included Rafael Márquez in their coaching staff, who left his post as coach of Barcelona B to join El Tri under the promise that he will be the coach after the 2026 World Cup.
“The national team means a lot to me, playing at a World Cup at home encourages me, it is a great opportunity to prepare myself,” said Marquez, who was captain five times in the same number of World Cups in his career. “I am happy to be back with my national team and I will try to give back a lot of what it has given me. I hope it will be a great success.”
For the match against New Zealand, Aguirre called on 17 players who played in the Copa America and surprised everyone by leaving out forwards Hirving Lozano and Raúl Jiménez. He also did not take into account veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who has expressed his desire to play in his sixth World Cup.
Aguirre only started working on the field this week. During training he has changed his tactical formation, between a line of five and a line of four. He is expected to use five defenders with two full-backs who will run along the flanks and contribute to the attack.
After facing New Zealand in Inglewood, California, Mexico will face Canada next Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.
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