Javier Aguirre said he couldn’t “say no to my country” as he was unveiled as Mexico coach for a third time on Thursday.
And. after previously serving as a late-minute savior in qualification for the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, Aguirre praised the long-term plan that will see assistant Rafa Márquez take the reins after the 2026 World Cup.
“Today, more than ever, I see with joy that there’s a project that’s not only about rescuing three World Cup qualifiers,” the 65-year-old said while sat alongside Márquez. “There’s a project, there’s an important foundation, a project until 2030. I’m very excited, I’m very excited to see that things are being done well, to see that things are becoming more professional.”
“We are already thinking about six years from now, it’s fantastic. I can’t say no to my country, to my national team.”
Aguirre was announced last week as the replacement for former coach Jaime Lozano, who parted ways with the national team in July after a dismal group stage exit in the Copa América. Lozano, who had a record of 10W-4D-7L, turned down a demotion that would have let him stay on as an assistant.
Aguirre was questioned Thursday whether he and El Tri legend Márquez were the right figures to revitalize Mexico’s fortunes and lead it to a World Cup it will co-host with the United States and Canada.
