Aguirre’s pragmatic Mexico has its doubters, but is built for World Cup success

MEXICO CITY — What a difference 45 minutes makes.

Before countless cups of beer were thrown in celebration of a 3-0 victory for Mexico over Czechia, before the Estadio Azteca crowd erupted into a frenzied state when goalkeeping legend Guillermo Ochoa was given a late cameo, and before the home side cemented back-to-back-back victories that will provide momentum for the knockout rounds — there were boos on Wednesday night.

And not just boos, but loud jeers and piercing whistles that were raining down on the home team that was scoreless by the half-time break. This situation wasn’t anything new either. In their previous match against South Korea on June 18 in Guadalajara, it was easy to hear the near-deafening boos that emerged from the Mexican crowd during a similarly scoreless position at the midway break.

Mexico went on to earn victories in both games. In Guadalajara, a game-winner from Luis Romo was enough to push them a 1-0 victory, and as for Wednesday, a late onrush from Mateo Chávez, Julián Quiñones, and Álvaro Fidalgo reawakened El Tri’s attack in atypically dynamic style.

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So, what gives with the vocal jeers then? If Mexico can still pull off these results, why are fans so quick to show their anger before the final whistle?

“You know the fans are very demanding, and players have to stand tall, and they cannot lose their concentration,” said head coach Javier Aguirre post-game on Wednesday. “They just have to keep their cool and their emotional balance.”

All of this stems from the play style of Aguirre, who traditionally isn’t as open to chase goals like he did vs. Czechia in the second half. If you want a better example of how Mexico play under their manager, it’s best to look more so at their first two group-stage games, and the first half against Czechia.

Within those matches and beyond, defensive pragmatism is key for the coach who would prefer to maintain a clean sheet, as opposed to scoring a goal. It’s not parking the bus, but it’s focusing on offside traps and always having enough players that are capable to track back and put numbers behind the ball. Aguirre isn’t one to take risks, and when building up in the attack, this could lead to some predictable movements in play.

Couple this altogether and you get, well, sometimes boring soccer that doesn’t make fans happy.

These supporters are also from the Mexican soccer ecosystem that regularly prioritize high-flying, high-pressing, and attack-minded approaches at the club and national team level. For many fans in this ecosystem, a win isn’t enough, you also need to be entertained.

But that’s not part of Aguirre’s DNA.

To quote the manager who has noted that he’ll take three points in any manner: “At the end of the day, the important thing is to win.”

Part of his process and previous success is as a firefighter-of-sorts. After moving to Spain, he made a name for himself for smaller clubs that were seeking to avoid relegation with his defensive-minded strategy. Protecting your net, and not aimlessly chasing the opposition’s, became his go-to approach.

So, with Mexico now employing that system, it hasn’t been much of a shock to see how people in the stands have reacted.

“They [players] shouldn’t be too proud when people are cheering for them,” said Aguirre about the importance of mental focus with Mexico’s current tactical demands. “And discouraged when people are booing them.”

On paper, the vibes could change in the knockout stages. Seeing a cautious approach might put you to sleep against smaller nations, but against a possible opponent like a powerhouse such as England? That willingness to take fewer risks is set to be a potent antidote when facing a team that will demand possession of the ball. Keep in mind that this is a Mexico squad that has not allowed a single goal during the World Cup group stage.

And to the credit of the “grandfatherly” Aguirre, the 67-year-old isn’t entirely set in his ways. In fact, there tends to be moments, especially in the second half of games, in which the coach allows his players a bit more freedom to roam and take chances going forward. Sometimes that leads to just one goal off a mistake as seen against South Korea, and sometimes, like against Czechia, three goals could then flood in during the last 30-40 minutes.

“I think that you learn from your mistakes, and I’ve made many mistakes throughout my career, and I will certainly make many more in what remains of my career, because you never stop learning,” said Aguirre.

Nonetheless, expect the pragmatism to come back when they return to the field for the round of 32 on June 30. Expect a more calculated strategy that will have his players on a much shorter leash than the ones that are basically non-existent in the free-flowing domestic Liga MX.

And whether fans like it or not, his numbers speak for themselves so far. With three wins in hand, Aguirre has led Mexico to their best-ever group stage run at a World Cup.

Aguirre, hardheaded and practical as ever, isn’t dwelling on that record too much, though.

“I am not going to think about the past, but I am going to think about the future,” said the coach after his latest win. “This is something that we have improved. It’s this mindset where we don’t stop thinking that we’ve already done our work.”