GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Mexico’s head coach Javier Aguirre delivered a firm message to his squad Wednesday, saying the grace period for opening-match nerves is officially over as the co-host nation gears up to face South Korea in a Group A World Cup showdown at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday.
Both squads arrive at the matchup with three points in hand after winning their respective openers. South Korea claimed a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic, while Mexico knocked off South Africa by a 2-0 score. Despite that winning start, Aguirre acknowledged that 10 of his players were making their World Cup debuts in that opener and showed signs of being physically and mentally tight under the weight of playing in front of a home crowd.
“I granted them the benefit of the doubt for the nervousness of a debut,” Aguirre said. “But I told them I can no longer allow a player, because of the stage, to be unable to make a three- or four-metre pass or a movement they have trained for.”
When it comes to Thursday’s opponent, Aguirre pointed to South Korea’s speed on the counter-attack as the biggest danger. He referenced a friendly between the two teams last September, when Mexico had difficulty keeping up with the Koreans’ rapid transitions going forward.
“The speed of the Koreans going forward — we have trained on how to nullify it,” Aguirre said. “We have to be attentive to the ‘vigilance’ when we are attacking. If there are two Koreans, there must be at least three Mexicans.”
The 67-year-old coach also spoke about the ongoing conversation around FIFA’s mandatory hydration breaks, which were put in place to shield players from the intense North American summer heat. The three-minute stoppages have stirred debate, with some critics claiming they disrupt the flow and momentum of teams that are in control of a match.
Aguirre, however, sees them as an opportunity. “We take advantage of the rules,” he said. “It allows you to give instructions while the players drink water. I use those breaks to correct things I see; it’s actually helpful for us coaches because we don’t have to shout across the field anymore.”
The veteran coach also reflected on how the game has transformed over the years, noting the influence of technology and new regulations on modern football.
“It is another type of football than the one I played,” Aguirre said. “Between the VAR and the technological evolution where they send you images at halftime, I think it all adds up to better football.”
Even with five decades in the sport, Aguirre admitted he still feels the pull of pre-match anxiety — and considers that a good sign. “I have 50 years in this blessed football and I still feel a strange nervousness before every game … The day I don’t feel that, I’ll go home.”
