If there were such a thing as a mid-table team at the World Cup, it would probably be Mexico. They are almost ever-present, yet no side has played as many matches at the tournament – 64 in total – without lifting the trophy.
Their supporters can be demanding but expectations were more modest this summer. However, the co-hosts ended a 40-year wait for a knockout win by beating Ecuador, so confidence will be raised for their match against England.
The failure to reach an elusive fifth game – the curse of the ‘quinto partido’ – plagued Mexico for generations. El Tri went out in the round of 16 at seven consecutive World Cups between 1994 and 2018, before ending that sequence in the worst possible way in Qatar, where they exited at the group stage.
Since then, Mexico have hired and fired two coaches before bringing back the vastly experienced Aguirre for a third spell in charge in 2024.
No stone has been left unturned in his preparations. El Tri played 22 matches over the past year before the tournament began, giving Aguirre ample scope to experiment with tactics and personnel. He used 54 players in that time, fewer than half of whom made the final squad.
Those who did are well drilled now, especially the 12 domestic-based players. Most were told to report for training on 6 May, meaning some squad members were in camp for five weeks by the start of the World Cup.