Javier Aguirre

Javier Aguirre is a Mexican football manager with over two decades of coaching experience across Spain, Japan, Egypt, and his home country. As a player he featured as a defensive midfielder, winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup with Mexico in 1993. He has managed Mexico's national team twice before — taking the side to consecutive World Cup round-of-sixteen exits in 2002 and 2010 — and was appointed for a third spell in 2023.

Aguirre lines up Mexico in a 4-3-3 for their opening match against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca on 11 June 2026, with Raul Jimenez leading the line and Edson Alvarez anchoring midfield. The fixture carries particular weight: Mexico host the co-hosted tournament and have never won a World Cup opener across seven attempts.

Aguirre's third stint has been built around youth integration and rebalancing the squad after a patchy 2022 Qatar campaign. His tactical approach leans on defensive solidity and quick transitions, trusting Jimenez's hold-up play to relieve pressure. Managing expectations against a South African side returning to the World Cup after 16 years, on a ground steeped in Mexican football history, defines the opening challenge of his tenure.