"A coach disliked by 90% of fans, yet the atmosphere is at its peak..." Mexico, the opponent in the second match of Hong Myung-bo's team, faces a 'cold' local atmosphere.

*This content was translated by AI.

Mexico, South Korea's group-stage rival in football, is aiming for the World Cup finals with its best internal atmosphere in eight years. The gaze of local fans and media toward the team's commander, Javier Aguirre, is not particularly favorable.

Mexican media outlet 'Medio Tiempo' focused on the issue on the 8th (Korea time), stating, "The current internal atmosphere of the Mexico national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup is maintaining the best condition overall from 2022 to 2026, including the era of former coach Tata Martino during the 2022 Qatar World Cup."

Citing an insider within the national team, the outlet reported, "For the first time in a long while, the best atmosphere has been formed without tension or conflict between the players and the coaching staff," and added, "There are no factions or jealousy within the squad, and the players completely trust and follow Coach Aguirre's tactical direction."

While the cohesion within the national team has reached its peak, the reaction from local public opinion remains cold. 'Medio Tiempo' pointed out, "90% of Mexican fans and media have continued to launch fierce criticism against the national team," and noted, "As a result, the gap between the national team and its fans is growing wider."

In Guadalajara, negative evaluations of Coach Aguirre dominate not only among local Mexican football fans but also among journalists.

Alex Ramirez, a reporter for Mexican broadcaster 'TV Azteca' interviewed locally, honestly conveyed the local atmosphere, stating, "Most Mexican fans are negative toward Javier Aguirre."

Additionally, Reporter Ramirez pointed out, "South Americans desire their unique aggressive and dynamic style of football, but Coach Aguirre has a strong tendency to rely on counter-attacks and the individual play of two or three players."

The coach's method of communicating with the media also came under scrutiny. In a recent press conference, when asked about the starting lineup, Coach Aguirre replied, "All 26 players are at the same level," "There is no difference regardless of which goalkeeper is fielded," and "There is no difference whether it is a striker, midfielder, or center-back." In response, 'Medio Tiempo' strongly criticized, "Who would believe such an answer? He told obvious lies with an unenthusiastic attitude," and added, "Fans would rather prefer honest answers."

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*This content was translated by AI.