Mexico coach Javier Aguirre explains who really deserves El Tri’s victory

Javier Aguirre believes Mexico’s supporters are the biggest winners after El Tri booked their place in the World Cup round of 16 with victory over Ecuador (aka La Tri). Speaking after the final whistle, the veteran coach praised his squad for their unity and commitment but admitted there is still room for improvement if they are to continue their run in the tournament.

Aguirre said his team had shown they belong among the final 16 nations but felt they should have been more clinical on the counterattack after Ecuador pushed forward in search of an equalizer.

“I’d say this is a group that deserves what’s happening. These are World Cup matches, we’re among the best 16 teams and we deserve to be here. We’re in a good place, very focused, we’re a family, an incredible group, and we play good football.

“They had to chase the game and pushed us back. The thing I’m unhappy about is our counterattacks because that’s where you kill the game. But above all, the people who deserve this most are the Mexican people.”

Aguirre reflects on past World Cup heartbreak

The victory also carried personal significance for Aguirre, who admitted it helped ease the pain of Mexico’s previous World Cup eliminations under his leadership in 2002 and 2010. He acknowledged that one of those exits still weighs heavily on him because of a mistake he believes he made.

“It means a lot to me because I’m one of those coaches who couldn’t get Mexico to the fifth game. It happened to me in South Africa and Korea, and it hurts. You fall along the way for many reasons that would be pointless to list now, including one very serious mistake of my own.

“Today, the connection we’ve found with the fans gives us a huge boost. Jorge Sánchez produced incredible numbers – he couldn’t run anymore but kept going. We made substitutions because of fatigue. Quiñones had a knock, Piojo was exhausted, Gilberto Mora too. It was a very demanding match. Ecuador push you to your limit, but I think it was a wonderful night for the Mexican people.”

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