'South Korean Manager Candidate' Javier Aguirre: How Was He Evaluated in Mexico? Divided Before and After the North American World Cup

*This content was translated by AI.

What was the local evaluation in Mexico of Javier Aguirre (68), a candidate for the next head coach of the South Korean national football team? The atmosphere changed significantly before and after the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup.

Mexican media outlet SDP Noticias reported on the 10th (Korean time) that "it appears Manager Aguirre has become a target for South Korea," adding, "South Korea has shown interest in Aguirre since the North American World Cup, and he is comparing multiple offers while also considering how to conclude his managerial career."

The report continued, stating, "After parting ways with the Mexico national team following the North American World Cup, Manager Aguirre immediately began receiving several offers, among which South Korea's interest was the first to be made public." It further explained, "The Korean Football Association is seeking a coach with rich experience for a new project targeting the 2030 World Cup after finishing last in Group A under former manager Hong Myung-bo."

According to reports, the Korean Football Association plans to soon begin negotiations to confirm Manager Aguirre's intentions.

Manager Aguirre is also familiar to South Korean football fans. He has previously managed the Japan national team and faced South Korea in Group A during this North American World Cup. Notably, Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), an ace of South Korean football, received his coaching while playing for Mallorca in Spain. Manager Aguirre has frequently praised Lee's talent and growth potential, and they even exchanged warm greetings during this tournament, continuing their mentor-mentee relationship.

Manager Aguirre has led the Mexico national team three times so far. He guided the team to the Round of 16 in all three World Cups: the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, the 2010 South Africa World Cup, and the 2026 North American World Cup.

However, the start of this tournament was not smooth. Even before the World Cup opened, there were many questions in Mexico: "Why Aguirre again?" While his past achievements were acknowledged, criticism and concerns continued over whether appointing him as the third head coach was the best choice.

The Los Angeles Times also reported, "Some questioned whether appointing Manager Aguirre as the third head coach of the Mexico national team was truly the best decision."

However, once the World Cup began, the atmosphere changed completely. Mexico was placed in Group A with South Korea, led by former manager Hong Myung-bo, as well as Czech Republic and South Africa. Contrary to expectations of fierce competition, Mexico won all three group stage matches, easily securing first place in the group and achieving results beyond expectations.

The Los Angeles Times noted shortly after Mexico's victory over South Korea that "Manager Aguirre acknowledged that Mexico secured a spot in the tournament rounds, alleviating pressure despite lingering doubts before the World Cup." It added, "While he did not explicitly mention personal redemption, he stated that football is often evaluated solely based on the most recent results."

Manager Aguirre calmly expressed the reality of the football world: "If you win, you become the best; if you lose, you become the worst." Although criticized before the World Cup, positive evaluations poured in once he led the team to the tournament rounds.

Mexico continued its upward momentum, defeating Ecuador in the Round of 32 to advance to the Round of 16. This was Mexico's first victory in tournament play since the 1986 Mexico World Cup, where they reached the quarterfinals—their best-ever performance—marking a 40-year gap. Naturally, Manager Aguirre's leadership received high praise.

Although Mexico narrowly lost to England 2-3 in the Round of 16 and failed to reach the quarterfinals, local public opinion remained more favorable than expected. On Reddit, the world's largest online community, Mexican fans commented, "They were a much better team than at the 2022 Qatar World Cup," and "They showed enough competitiveness against England." Some English fans also remarked, "We won, but Mexico's performance was impressive."

Of course, there were regrets. Manager Aguirre failed to break through the Round of 16 barrier once again, following his experiences in 2002 and 2010. In particular, criticism arose that despite having a numerical advantage for most of the second half after an opponent was sent off during the England match, he could not turn the game around.

Additionally, the tactical decision to substitute Julian Quiñones (Al-Qadsiah) with a tall striker in the final minutes of the match, opting for aerial duels, sparked considerable controversy. Quiñones had scored four goals in five matches during this tournament, showcasing peak form. Manager Aguirre made a bold move by substituting him, but since the team lost, his decision was deemed a failure.

Fox Sports also pointed out, "Manager Aguirre has led Mexico to the Round of 16 in the 2002, 2010, and 2026 World Cups, but has never broken through that barrier." It further noted, "The decision to substitute Quiñones late in the England match also became controversial."

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*This content was translated by AI.