SOCCER
Tuca Ferretti would be “delighted” to take Mexico job
Former Tigres boss Ricardo Ferretti turned down the Mexican national team job in the past but is now available and interested.
Former Tigres boss Ricardo Ferretti is a free agent, which could make him a candidate to become the new coach of the Mexican national team for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Mexico, United States and Canada. Ferretti was regularly touted as a potential Tri boss in the past but rejected any advances due to being under contract with Tigres.
Why did Ricardo Ferretti turn down the Mexico national team job?
“Yes, I am keen. For years, I was the man that people most wanted to be the national team coach. But because I had a contract with Tigres, I always turned it down. Now, I don’t have a club, I don’t have a contract with anyone. And if they offer it to me, I would be delighted to try to come to some kind of an agreement,” he said in an interview with ESPN.
However, it must be remembered that it is not only the Mexican Football Fedeartion (FMF) who choose the national team coach, with club owners having the final say on who takes charge, something that Ferretti is well aware of.
Who chooses the head coach of the Mexican national team?
“It’s not just reaching an agreement with the FMF, you need to do so with clubs, club owners and all the rest of it. It’s a really big deal and people don’t know that,” he said.
Ferretti knows that he doesn’t currently have the same amount of support he had when he turned down the job in the past but hopes it will come back if he is ultimately offered the position.
“I hope I could have that kind of support again. I was in with a chance before but I had a contract with Tigres and I always like to honour my contracts.
“That’s why I always rejected the national team, but now I am available. And if they offer me the job, I’d be delighted.”
Marcelo Bielsa strongly linked with the Mexico job
Following on from Gerardo Martino’s departure as head coach of the Mexican national team after their elimination from the World Cup in the group stage, Argentine Marcelo Bielsa is the man who has been most strongly linked with the post. ‘Tuca’ Ferretti, however, appears to be a realistic alternative.