Javier Aguirre was appointed the head coach of Mexico’s national football team on Monday, replacing Jaime Lozano, dismissed earlier this month following a disappointing group-stage exit at the Copa América. Aguirre will lead Mexico’s team for the next two years, after which Rafael Márquez will take over in preparation for the 2030 World Cup. Márquez recently terminated his contract as Barcelona B manager to join the national team setup. “Javier has a strong track record, with experience and undisputed leadership in team management, while Rafa has great skill in talent development,” the FMF said in a statement.
The 65-year-old Aguirre, who previously guided Mexico to the round of 16 in the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, returns to the national team with a wealth of international experience. Mexico consistently reached the round of 16 from 1994 to 2018 but was eliminated in the group stage in 2022. “[Aguirre] is without a doubt the Mexican coach with the longest and most recognized career abroad, and he also has in-depth knowledge of the processes in national teams,” said Duilio Davino, director of national teams. “‘Rafa’ is one of the most important players in Mexican history with a great national and international career who began his coaching career with an emblematic team. We have offered him to be the assistant until 2026 so that he can contribute his knowledge and then assume the leadership.”
Following the disappointing Copa America performance, Lozano, who held a 10W-4D-7L record with Mexico, refused a demotion to assistant coach and parted ways with the team. “Jaime Lozano was offered, along with his coaching staff, a contract until 2030, in which during 2024-2026 they will accompany a more experienced head coach towards our World Cup, and later it would be Jaime himself who would retake the reins of head coach in the 2026-2030 process,” the FMF stated earlier this month.
Aguirre and Márquez’s first task will be to prepare for Mexico’s upcoming friendlies in the United States. They will face New Zealand on September 7 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and Canada on September 10 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Aguirre, born in Mexico City, recently concluded a two-year stint as the coach of Mallorca in Spain, where he led the team to a surprising run to the final of the 2023-24 Copa del Rey. His coaching career also includes leading the national teams of Japan and Egypt.
Márquez, one of the most celebrated players in Mexico’s history, participated in five World Cups (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018). After retiring, he began his coaching career with Alcala at the youth level in 2020 and Barcelona B in 2022. As a player, Márquez won four league titles and two Champions League crowns with Barcelona.
Source Agencies
