Can Aguirre, with Marquez as assistant, can save Mexico a third time in World Cup prep?

Death and taxes are certain in life, and so seems head coach Javier Aguirre stepping in to save Mexico‘s men’s national team. If things looked a little too familiar during Thursday’s introductory press conference for Aguirre, it’s because this wasn’t the first time he’s been announced as El Tri’s leader on the sideline. Or even the second.

After previously being hired in two separate occasions to help Mexico qualify for the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, the veteran manager was called upon a third time when he was officially hired last week. Fourteen years after coaching what appeared to be his final game for the national team, Aguirre, beaming with a wide smile in an hour-long media event, found himself once again donning El Tri’s jacket.

“Any Mexican coach, you present them with this opportunity, they would say yes with their eyes closed,” said the 65-year-old.

Mexico’s new vision won’t be viewed through just the perspective of Aguirre either.

Sitting alongside him at the event, stoic as ever, was new assistant and El Tri legend Rafa Marquez. As previously reported by ESPN Mexico, Thursday’s press conference confirmed the long-term plan in which Aguirre would lead El Tri through the 2026 World Cup, and would then step aside to let Marquez coach the national team in the 2030 cycle.

Returning to a federation that often seems to have short-term perspectives in mind, Aguirre proudly backed the new blueprint.

“Today, more than ever, I see with joy that there’s a project that’s not only about rescuing three World Cup qualifiers,” said the coach. “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.”

And that national team is one that undoubtedly needs help.

Once seen as the undisputed Concacaf kings that were on the cusp of joining the upper echelon of the globe’s elite, Mexico now haven’t claimed a title in their three Nations League runs, they stumbled out of the group stage of the 2022 World Cup, they were unable to qualify for this summer’s Olympics, and in July, they cemented their third group stage exit in their last four Copa América appearances. It’s a dark period for Mexico after the dismal Copa that forced the departure of former coach Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano, but the good news for fans of El Tri: Aguirre has the know-how to pick up the pieces of the squad that remains in a slump.

The bad news? The harsh reality for the national team is that the days of once being ranked fourth in the world by FIFA (in 2006), are now long gone. While soccer continues to develop and grow across Concacaf and beyond, there needs to be a recognition by Mexico that it needs to improve its depth and also usher in a new generation of players.

It’s less of a wealth of talent and more of a work with what you have, which is exactly the scenario in which Aguirre was able to find recent success with Mallorca in Spain. After narrowly avoiding relegation in LaLiga‘s 2021-22 table, the Mexican coach pushed the modest squad up to ninth in 2022-23. Although they eventually dipped down to 15th in the 2023-24 season, Aguirre gained acclaim for a Cinderella run into the final of the Copa del Rey.

For a club that was ranked 17th in LaLiga’s 2023-24 season for xG and possession, it was astonishing to see them on the cusp of a national trophy after narrowly losing the Copa del Rey title on penalties against Athletic Club in April. In Aguirre, Mexico have someone that can make them greater than the sum of their parts.

Which isn’t to say that Aguirre will be parking the bus and playing cautiously either. Across Mexico, there’s a misconception that due to being a managerial firefighter, Aguirre will want to be defensive-minded and sit back. During Thursday’s press conference, the coach even quickly corrected a journalist that implied that he utilizes a pragmatic 4-4-2.

“I played 90 games with Mallorca in a 5-3-2,” Aguirre quickly retorted.

Historical stats also back up the notion that the manager isn’t simply single-minded on his backline.

According to Opta: “Mexico had its World Cups in the 21st century with the most successful passes (1711 in 2002), most ball recoveries (236 in 2002), most tackles (103 in 2010) and most ball possession (62% in 2002).”

“4-3-3 or the 5-3-2 or the 4-1-4-1, those are really just numbers,” said Aguirre on Thursday. “Depending on the opponent, depending on the circumstances of the scoreline, depending on the time, depending on the needs, I’m not against any system.”

As for improving the depth of the squad and bringing in fresh young faces, Marquez’s latest experience as coach of Barcelona B will be invaluable for a national team structure that has struggled to transition in up-and-coming players. With the knowledge that he’ll take charge in two years as he prepares for 2030, Marquez is also well aware of the importance of needing to support and promote the next generation.

Whether it be intentional or not, by having Marquez already involved in a long-term plan, it’ll only benefit his future to begin to look towards and guide countless promising youth players that can often go overlooked for the senior national team.

Formerly a captain that took part in five World Cups from 2002 to 2018, Marquez could also be a returning leader to a few familiar veterans that now have a door open to a return.

“Are they Mexican? Are they footballers? Well, they’re in all of our orbits,” said Aguirre about aging stars like Guillermo Ochoa and Hirving “Chucky” Lozano that were dropped from the Copa roster.

“There are parameters, obviously, there’s an idea, we try to follow it, but we’re also interested in good footballers and Mexicans who are proud to be in the national team.”

Pride, one of the many talking points of the press conference, was an easy topic for someone as storied as Aguirre to bring up. Arguably the greatest manager to hail from Mexico, and with a legend such as Marquez beside him, Aguirre’s aura was one of optimistic nostalgia at the media event.

Unlike previous coaches of the 2020s such as Lozano, Diego Cocca and Gerardo Martino that were hired for the first time, Aguirre’s presence evoked sentimental memories that bring up grainy highlights of the early 2000s — many of which included Marquez.

And now, with the 2026 World Cup around the corner that Mexico will co-host with the United States and Canada, will more rose-colored moments soon be added to those recollections?

On paper, there’s reason for hope with the coach that has shown over the last two years that he can uplift a team with significant hurdles. In Marquez, there’s a coach that has a familiarity in working with younger players and also as a leader for the team’s veterans.

It’s effortless to feel cheerful, but it’s just day one of a project that will quickly pick up speed with just two years to go until the World Cup.

With no qualifiers and a major tournament like the Copa now in the past, the clock is ticking for the prominent coach and his assistant to resolve a Mexican soccer crisis that is now just as familiar as Aguirre at the helm.

Step one? Finding the right figures for U.S.-based friendlies in September that will spearhead Aguirre’s third stint.

“Yes, there is time, yes of course,” said Mexico’s returning coach about building towards 2026.

“I think there’s enough time to put together a good team.”