“Vasco” Aguirre and the reasons for his controversial first list

As expected and always happens when announcing the lists of the Mexican national team, the first of the Javier “Vasco” Aguirre processdid not go away without controversy, but once the 26 names were announced, questions began to be raised about the major absences, those that are left over and those that are surprises.

The “Vasco”, a coach who is well-versed in fear, certainly surprised by leaving out of his first list players such as the four World Cup players Raúl Jiménez, Hirving Lozano, Guillermo Ochoa and Edson Álvarez, especially the latter who reappeared last weekend after his absence due to the injury he suffered in the 2024 Copa América match against Venezuela.

Many specialists, technicians and former technicians over the last three weeks began to speculate whether Aguirre would use these veterans to give him a boost at the start of his third process, but the reality is that after meeting those called up It is clear that he has chosen those he considers can adapt to his footballing idea.

Obviously, to be on good terms with 120 million people throughout Mexico and beyond the borders, it will always be a titanic task, but ultimately the relationship revealed by the new Mexican coach attempted to amalgamate a group of players who seek results with the new faces in the national team.

However, when detailing the list for the matches against New Zealand and Canada, scheduled for September 7 and 10 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and the AT&T in Arlington, Texas, it was found that players who were missed in the last Copa América 2024 did not appear.

Cases like Fulham Premier League striker Raul Jimenez, Guillermo Ochoa who is currently without a team and Hirving Lozano, who is having an excellent start to the tournament with PSV Eindhoven, but who is apparently left out for disciplinary reasons after throwing a tantrum in his last call-up for not flying first class.

In the case of Edson Álvarez, his absence will surely It is because he has just recovered from an injury and they preferred to hold off on his call for a better occasion or until he is back to full football rhythm.

Alexis Vega and Uriel Antuna also do not appear, who were thought to be useful in Javier Aguirre’s new process, but it is clear that from now on he will want committed players who not only have footballing quality, but who practically throw themselves headlong into the national team and do not consider themselves indispensable because of their footballing quality.

Another one who is missed is Julio González, Pumas’ goalkeeper and who was the starting goalkeeper in the 2024 Copa América, doing a good job to the point that his call was expected, But in the end Aguirre thought otherwise.

Cases like Erick “Chiquito” Sánchez, who was also in the last Copa América like Jordi Cortizo and Jorge Sánchez, who supposedly have the level to be considered, but in the end were left off the list.

On the other hand, the presence of the new Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper, who has only started two games in the first division of Spanish football, has also begun to be questioned, considering that he does not yet have the credentials to be considered for the Mexican national team.

Cases such as the return of Jesús Gallardo and the appearance of Erick Lira from Cruz Azul, Fidel Ambriz from Monterrey and Alan Mozo from Chivas, which was deleted by Jaime Lozano due to an argument that almost came to blows at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

In the end, each analyst, fan or journalist will have their favorites, but it was clear that the one in charge is Javier Aguirre and although it is mentioned that he received orders not to call Hirving Lozano for disciplinary reasons, It is a fact that he did so in reference to preserving order and discipline as he has always liked in his processes.

Continue reading:
-What will Javier Aguirre’s first two games be?
-“Vasco” Aguirre wants Andrés Guardado to lead the Mexican national team
-Javier Aguirre would not have Santiago Giménez as his first choice