Javier Aguirre Coaching

Lore & Background

Aguirre was born in Mexico City on 1 December 1958. He earned the nickname El Vasco due to his parents’ Basque heritage. His mother hailed from Guernica and his father from Ispaster; the couple migrated to Mexico in 1950. Through them, Aguirre qualified for a Spanish passport.

He gave his three sons traditional Basque names: Iker, Ander, and Iñaki. As a player, he began his professional career with Club América, making his first-team debut in 1979 before moving to the Los Angeles Aztecs the following year. After a brief stint in the United States, he returned to his former club, where he cemented his place as a regular starter. His second spell with Club América culminated in the 1983–84 championship title, in which he scored in the decisive final.

He then joined Atlante, spending two seasons before heading to Spain to sign with Osasuna. His time in La Liga was disrupted by a serious injury, and after just a year abroad, he returned to Mexico to play for Guadalajara, where he made over 100 appearances before retiring. He earned 59 international caps for Mexico between 1983 and 1992, scoring 13 goals. He was a member of the squad at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, where he appeared in the quarter-final against West Germany. During the game, Aguirre was sent off, becoming the first Mexican player to be dismissed in a World Cup fixture.

Reader's Guide

Upon retiring, Aguirre transitioned into management. After leading Pachuca to prominence, he took charge of the Mexico national team, guiding them in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, a feat he would repeat at the 2010 and 2026 editions as well. His managerial career extended beyond Mexico. At Atlético Madrid, he delivered consistent top-table finishes in La Liga and secured regular European qualification; he also guided both Osasuna and Mallorca to Copa del Rey finals.

On the international stage, he coached the national teams of Japan and Egypt, achieving mixed success. He coached Mexico at the 2001 Copa América, where they beat Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay before losing the final 1–0 to the hosts. At the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Mexico topped their group but were eliminated in the round of 16 by the United States. In his first season at Osasuna, the club reached the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey.

In 2004–05, he guided Osasuna to the cup final, where they lost 2–1 after extra time to Real Betis. In the following league season, Osasuna beat Sevilla to a joint-best 4th place and their first qualification to the UEFA Champions League. On 24 May 2006, Aguirre signed a one-year contract to replace Pepe Murcia at Atlético Madrid. After a fourth-place finish in 2008 confirmed a place in the Champions League, he extended his deal by another year.

He was dismissed on 2 February 2009 after a run of two points from five games. On 3 April 2009, Aguirre became the new manager of the Mexico national team, replacing Sven-Göran Eriksson. On 9 July, Aguirre was ejected in an incident during the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup match versus Panama. During a play along the sideline, Aguirre kicked Panamanian player Ricardo Phillips, triggering Phillips to push Aguirre, causing ejections for both.

Aguirre apologized to the Mexican fans, media, football players and staff, but never extended such courtesy to Phillips or the Panamanian team. He was suspended for three games and the Mexican Football Federation was fined US$25,000 by CONCACAF. On 26 July, Aguirre led Mexico to its fifth Gold Cup title. He then led Mexico to a comeback win over the United States at the Estadio Azteca on 12 August and followed it up by winning 3–0 in Costa Rica.

On 10 October, Mexico beat El Salvador 4–1, qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In June 2010, Aguirre led Mexico at a FIFA World Cup for the second time.