Tag Archives: Mexican Football Federation

Javier Aguirre Officially Named Head Coach of Mexico’s National Men’s Soccer Team

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It’s official… Javier Aguirre is a Tri-time coach…

The 65-year-old Mexican football manager and former footballer who played as a midfielder has been named head coach of Mexico for a third time and will have former captain Rafael Marquez as his assistant, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has announced.

Javier Aguirre, Aguirre will initially take the head coach job and lead the team for two years through the 2026 World Cup, before leaving Marquez in charge ahead of preparations for 2030.

Marquez recently terminated his contract as Barcelona B manager in order to join Mexico.

“Javier has a strong track record, with experience and undisputed leadership in team management, while Rafa has great skill in talent development,” the FMF said in a statement.

Aguirre, who takes over after Jaime Lozano left the team, led Mexico to the round of 16 in the 2002 and 2010 World Cups. Mexico was knocked out in that round at every World Cup between 1994 and 2018, then was eliminated in the group stage in 2022.

“[Aguirre] is without a doubt the Mexican coach with the longest and most recognized career abroad and he also has in-depth knowledge of the processes in national teams,” said Duilio Davino, director of national teams. “‘Rafa’ is one of the most important players in Mexican history with a great national and international career who began his coaching career with an emblematic team.

“We have offered him to be the assistant until 2026 so that he can contribute his knowledge and then assume the leadership.”

After a dismal group stage exit in this summer’s Copa América, Lozano parted ways with the national team earlier this month. Following the Copa, Lozano, who had a record of 10W-4D-7L with Mexico, turned down a demotion that would have let him stay on as an assistant.

“Jaime Lozano was offered, along with his coaching staff, a contract until 2030, in which during 2024-2026 they will accompany a more experienced head coach towards our World Cup, and later it would be Jaime himself who would retake the reins of head coach in the 2026-2030 process,” the FMF said earlier this month.

The first order of business for Aguirre and Marquez will be to prepare for Mexico’s upcoming U.S.-based friendlies against New Zealand on September 7 (at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California) and Canada on September 10 (at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas).

The Mexico City-born manager recently closed out a two-year run as coach of Mallorca in Spain, where he made headlines with a Cinderella run to the final of the 2023-24 Copa del Rey. He also coached the national teams of Japan and Egypt.

Marquez, widely recognized as one of the greatest players in Mexico’s history, took part in five World Cups (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018). After retiring, the El Tri legend began coaching Alcala at the youth level in 2020 and Barcelona B in 2022.

As a player, Marquez won four league titles and two Champions League crowns with Barcelona.

Rafa Márquez Becomes Assistant Coach for Mexico National Team

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Rafa Márquez is preparing for a special homecoming.

The 45-year-old Mexican football coach, former player and head coach of Barcelona Atlètic, the B team of FC Barcelona, and the Mexican Football Federation have finalized a deal for him to become Javier Aguirre‘s assistant with the Mexico national team.

Rafa MárquezMarquez will as Aguirre’s assistant for the first two years of the contract before succeeding him as head coach after the 2026 World Cup.

He had previously been a candidate to become the head coach of the Barcelona first-team prior to Xavi‘s exit U-turn in April.

Márquez had informed the Catalan club a few days ago that he was going to consider Mexico’s proposal despite having recently committed to Barcelona B until June 2025.

The former Mexico international had other proposals but decided to renew his contract at Barcelona in June following a season in which he came close to clinching promotion to the second division.

Sources told ESPN that Aguirre wants people on his staff who understand his management style and considers Márquez to be the ideal person to replace him after 2026.

Márquez won 147 caps with Mexico during his playing career and shares the record for appearing in five World Cups.

Aguirre will also be joined in Mexico by Toni Amor, his former assistant at Mallorca, and is now looking for a goalkeeping coach to complete his staff.

Santiago Gimenez Scores Sole Goal to Help Mexico Claim 2023 Gold Cup Title

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Santiago Gimenez is being heralded a hero…

The 22-year-old Mexican professional footballer scored the sole goal in Sunday’s 2023 Gold Cup final to help lead Mexico to a thrilling 1-0 victory over Panama.

Santiago GimenezGimenez scored the late winner at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, to push Mexico past a resilient Panama side and lift a CONCACAF-record ninth Gold Cup title after Mexico interim manager Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano‘s side conceded just two goals in the entire tournament.

“With these results, they open opportunities,” said Lozano, who hopes to make his coaching stint permanent, after the match. “Obviously, I would like to be here. Obviously, it would be a dream to lead my national team in a World Cup, and even more in a World Cup where we’ll be the home side.

“If it’s my turn, it’s a dream, it’s a dream. What I’m experiencing now [as interim] is a dream.”

Lozano, hired just days before the start of the Gold Cup, replaced former coach Diego Cocca, who was fired after an embarrassing 3-0 loss to the United States in June’s Nations League Finals.

Mexico Nation's Cup 2023With Lozano in charge, Mexico stormed through the Gold Cup with a four wins and one loss to Qatar after already clinching passage to the knockout stage.

Panama made things difficult in a tight championship match, but following a late surge in the second half from El Tri, Gimenez tallied the sole score in the 85th minute.

Despite his Gold Cup success, Lozano noted that his agreement with the national team lasted only through the end of the tournament.

“I signed a contract for the Gold Cup; I believe that starting now I’m free [to sign with anyone],” Lozano said. “I don’t know if it’s in a few weeks or months, but a decision will need to be made, and from my part, whenever I can help the national team, I’m available.”

His status as an interim also led to a slightly awkward interaction with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in Sunday’s medal ceremony. After giving Lozano his medal, Infantino apparently wished the manager good luck in the next World Cup.

“I think Infantino didn’t know that my contract ended here,” Lozano said with a laugh in the postgame news conference.

At the very least for Lozano, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has stated recently that he remains in the running for a permanent position. Earlier in the week, after Mexico had qualified for the Gold Cup final with a triumph over Jamaica, FMF executive president Ivar Sisniega said, “Whatever happens Sunday won’t determine the future of Jimmy Lozano,” as he discussed possible options for the team’s permanent manager.

“Of course, Jimmy should be one of the candidates,” Sisniega added.

Before coaching Mexico’s senior team as an interim, Lozano made a name for himself with a bronze-medal finish with El Tri at the Tokyo Olympics. A strong core of members on the current Gold Cup roster played for Lozano at those Summer Games in 2021, likely leading to his hiring before this tournament.

Mexico’s Gold Cup victory helps it maintain its status as the all-time leader in the tournament. The United States has the second-most titles with seven.

The U.S., Mexico and Canada are joint hosts of the 2026 World Cup.

Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano Named Interim Coach of Mexico’s Senior Men’s National Soccer Team

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Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano is filling in…

The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has named the 44-year-old Mexican professional football manager and former player as the interim coach of the senior men’s national team.

Jaime "Jimmy" Lozano The announcement came after the FMF on Monday officially dropped Diego Cocca as the national team’s manager after their third-place finish in the Concacaf Nations League.

Cocca, hired in February and fired from his post with a 3-3-1 record, fell below expectations last week after Mexico lost 3-0 to the United States in the Nations League and beat Panama 1-0 in the ensuing third-place game.

“In the last week, I have found many deficiencies,” FMF commissioner president Juan Carlos Rodriguez said in a video on Monday.

“A game against the United States can be lost, there’s always that risk because this is football and the win can go one way or the other. What cannot be accepted was the way in which it happened,” he said.

“This phase has been flawed by the disorder in decision-making, by the lack of processes, rigor, and transparency in appointments, and by a perfect storm in the bad habits that we’ve been dragging for so many years.

“The natural thing to do would be to wait for the end of the Gold Cup, but today we don’t have time to waste. So I inform you that I’ve made the decision to terminate the contract of Diego Martin Cocca and the members of his coaching staff,” Rodriguez said.

He later added that Rodrigo Ares de Parga would also be dropped as executive director of national teams.

The firing of Cocca and Ares de Parga add to the list of ongoing changes at the FMF since last year.

In the past 11 months, and related to just the men’s side, Mexico has made the following changes: the firing of general sporting director Gerardo Torrado and sporting director of national teams Ignacio Hierro; the hiring and eventual exit of Jaime Ordiales as sporting director for men’s national teams; the exit of men’s coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino; the hiring and firing of Ares de Parga as the executive director of national teams; the hiring of Duilio Davino as sporting director of men’s national teams; the hiring and firing of Cocca as the new men’s coach; the exit of former FMF president Yon de Luisa; and the election of Rodriguez as the new FMF president.

Through a recent FMF restructuring last week, Rodriguez transitioned to commission president, while Ivar Sisniega was given the role of executive president.

Following Sunday’s third-place finish in the Nations League, Cocca seemed to hint at his future after stating in a postgame news conference that “there’s a lot of people who want me to leave.”

When asked to be specific, the coach didn’t give any details.

Before leading Mexico in his first international job, the 51-year-old from Argentina made a name for himself through back-to-back Liga MX championships with Atlas in the 2021 Apertura and 2022 Clausura.

Within Liga MX, he also coached Club Tijuana and Tigres, where he left after just a few months in charge to take the role with Mexico in February.

The former defender previously managed teams in Argentina and Colombia as well.

After being hired by Mexico, Cocca replaced fellow countryman Martino, who walked away from the Mexico role last year after his contract ran out.

He coached El Tri to a disappointing exit in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup.

At the upcoming Gold Cup, Lozano will lead Mexico as interim coach in group stage matches against Honduras (June 25), Haiti (June 29) and Qatar (July 2).

On Sunday, Mexico revealed that Chivas forward Alexis Vega will be unavailable for the tournament because of a knee injury.

Lozano led El Tri‘s Olympic squad to a bronze medal at Tokyo 2020.

In Liga MX, he’s had experience as manager of Queretaro and Necaxa.

Andrea Rodebaugh Named New Sporting Director for Mexico’s Women’s National Teams by Mexican Football Federation

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Andrea Rodebaugh is taking the lead…

The 55-year-old Mexican professional futbol coach and former player has been hired by the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) as the new sporting director for its women’s national teams, president Yon de Luisa announced on Sunday at a press conference in Los Angeles.

Andrea Rodebaugh The former El Tri Femenil midfielder joins the FMF after previously coaching Club Tijuana in Liga MX Femenil and Mexico’s U20 women’s national team. Most recently, Rodebaugh has also done work with FIFA as a women’s football consultant.

“Andrea arrives to add and strengthen the women’s teams,” De Luisa said. “With her professionalism and dedication, Andrea has come to achieve the goal that we’ve all set for ourselves, which is to be in the top eight in the world. Andrea’s leadership will be essential.”

Rodebaugh will be tasked with reviving a women’s national team project that has gone through a turbulent 2022.

Despite a growth in domestic talent and the rise of the Liga MX Femenil (Mexico’s top flight for women’s soccer), the women’s national team failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Paris Games after finishing without a win in July’s CONCACAF W Championship — ultimately leading to the firing of manager Monica Vergara in August.

Coupled with the men’s U20 squad failing to qualify for the 2023 U20 World Cup and Paris 2024, the FMF made a decision in mid-July to dismiss general sporting director Gerardo Torrado, sporting director of national teams Ignacio Hierro, and U20 coach Luis Perez. Later that month, multiple coaches from the women’s U20 squad were also fired after an internal investigation “found of a lack of leadership and inappropriate behaviors.”

Through a restructuring of the FMF, Jaime Ordiales has since stepped in as a sporting director for only the men’s national teams, and on the women’s side, Rodebaugh will now be leading the efforts.

“It is an honor to contribute to the national teams, it’s a huge challenge and I’m aware that it requires commitment and plenty of discipline,” Rodebaugh said in her introductory press conference.

“We have a generation of very talented players, willing to give their best on the field. I will focus all my energy and concentration to improve their performances so they can reach their highest level.”

Later, De Luisa revealed that coach Pablo Lopez, who recently won the U20 Women’s World Cup with Spain, is in “very advanced” talks with the FMF to become the next manager of Mexico’s senior women’s team.

Currently in the middle of a trip to southern California, the Mexico women lost 1-0 to New Zealand during a friendly on Friday at Carson’s Dignity Health Sports Park. On Monday, they’ll then face the NWSL‘s Angel City FC in a country vs. club friendly at Los Angeles’ Banc of California Stadium.

Miguel Angel Gamero and Cristian Flores are the current interim coaches for the senior women’s team.