Coach Javier Aguirre drew on memories of Mexico’s last home World Cup on Wednesday as he prepared to lead the hosts into the tournament opener against South Africa, four decades after taking the field as a player at the Estadio Azteca.
Mexico launches the World Cup on Thursday with the expectations of a soccer-mad nation, but Aguirre said his 50 years in football had no experience compared to the emotions of a World Cup on home soil.
“I have not had a greater emotion in football in fifty years than a World Cup at home,” Aguirre told reporters on the eve of the Group A match. “It is something unforgettable.”
Aguirre was part of the Mexican squad at the 1986 World Cup, playing in the opening match against Belgium, also at the Azteca, before later leading the team at the 2002 and 2010 tournaments.
Now in his third spell as coach, the 67-year-old said he had tried to pass on the confidence he felt as a player to a side preparing to host a home World Cup for the first time.
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“I remember the confidence with which we approached Belgium,” he said.
“I want to make it clear to the players that it can be a great day for us, that it can be a celebration that will be remembered for decades.”
Aguirre said his team was ready for the challenges of opening the tournament in front of more than 80,000 fans, stressing that “it’s not just about football, it’s also about emotional balance.”
Mexico are widely seen as the favorites to beat South Africa, but Aguirre said the home advantage would only help if his players could manage the pressure.
«You can’t go crazy,» he said. “Everyone wants to finish the game in the first half, but this takes ninety minutes.”
Mexico will look to make history on Thursday, with the hosts still looking for their first win in an opening World Cup match after seven previous attempts. A statistic that Aguirre said he only heard when he presented it at the press conference.
“Then we have another reason to win tomorrow,” he said. “We will break that statistic.”
Published on June 11, 2026
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