Mexico coach Aguirre: Still paying for error vs. USA at 2002 World Cup
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said he’s still “paying consequences” for a tactical error in the 2002 World Cup that led to a stunning 2-0 loss to the United States in his first run with the national team.
Ahead of a Concacaf Nations League semifinal against Canada on Thursday, Aguirre discussed his mistake and also praised former Mexico oach Gerardo “Tata” Martino for contemplating a misstep of his own after controversially leaving out striker Santiago Gimenez from the 2022 World Cup roster.
Recently, Martino told ESPN, “it could be, I accept it,” when asked if he made a miscalculation by leaving out Gimenez for Qatar 2022.
“On a personal level, it frees you,” said Aguirre on Thursday about recognizing one’s faults. “Holding onto a lie leads nowhere and I still pay the consequences for my error [in 2002].”
Aguirre, who is now on his third stint as Mexico coach, opened up about what he said was a tactical gaffe from 23 years ago that saw the national team suffer a bitter round-of-16 exit to their North American rivals at the tournament in Japan and South Korea.
“I made a mistake by changing a lineup I hadn’t practiced,” said Aguirre.
“It feels bad when you make a mistake. And your country, because of your fault, because it’s yours, is dropped out of a World Cup.”
Mexico has still yet to make it beyond the round of 16 at a World Cup since hosting the competition in 1986.
Ahead of preparation for the 2026 World Cup that Mexico will co-host with the U.S. and Canada, Aguirre is seeking to revive a national team that has continued to lose its once powerful grip in Concacaf.
Despite leading the region in Gold Cup titles with nine, Mexico has yet to lift a Nations League trophy, which have all been won by the U.S. in 2019-20, 2022-23, and 2023-24.
On the other side of this year’s Nations League bracket, the U.S. will face Panama on the same day as Mexico’s respective semifinal.
On Sunday, the winners will then play in the final, leaving the losers in a fight for third place. All four matches will be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
