Mexico’s coach was quickly changed after the team lost to England in the World Cup.
Just hours after Mexico’s exit from the FIFA World Cup 2026, their manager Javier Aguirre has been replaced by a true Barcelona legend.
Mexico, one of the three host nations, put on an amazing performance, cheered on by fans at the Azteca stadium.
But their run ended in the quarter-finals with a close 3-2 loss to England.
England’s Jude Bellingham scored two quick goals early on, but Mexico fought back with a late first-half goal from Julián Quiñones.
Their chances looked good when England’s Jarell Quansah was sent off, but a Harry Kane penalty soon after made things harder for Mexico.
They managed to score another penalty, pushing for a comeback, but couldn’t break through again and were knocked out of their home tournament.
Right after the game, coach Javier Aguirre stepped down after leading the team through 34 matches.
“I wish I could have said goodbye with a win. That hurts. We gave it our all,” Aguirre said at the press conference.
“The players should hold their heads high. Today wasn’t our day. We missed chances, but I’m so proud of all of them.
These players brought back the heart and soul of this team, and I’m very proud.”
Now, former Barcelona star and Mexico legend Rafa Marquez will take over.
Marquez captained Mexico in five World Cups and has been closely working with Aguirre during this tournament.
Aguirre isn’t the only coach to lose his job after this World Cup. Tunisia fired Herve Renard just days after his appointment, and well-known coaches like Ronald Koeman of the Netherlands and Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann also parted ways following early exits.
Looking back, Mexico’s Round of 16 finish wasn’t bad, especially with a strong fight against England.
A win would have set up an exciting path to the semi-finals, with Norway knocking out Brazil on the other side of the bracket.
Now, that chance belongs to England, who face the challenge of stopping Erling Haaland, who’s already scored seven goals, matching stars like Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi in the race for the golden boot.