Javier Aguirre Coaching

Verified Timeline

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, a valuable asset that eased his professional career abroad. Reflecting his roots, he gave his three sons traditional Basque names: Iker, Ander, and Iñaki.

In Their Own Story

The atmosphere at Estadio Azteca was electric on November 11. Aguirre watched as his team secured a 3-0 victory over Honduras, finally sealing their place at the 2010 World Cup. It was a redemption arc that began months prior in a qualifying group where Mexico had looked lost. The tension peaked during the Gold Cup match against Panama on July 9. A sideline clash saw Aguirre kick Ricardo Phillips, who pushed back, resulting in both being sent off and delaying the game for over ten minutes. Aguirre apologized to his nation but remained silent toward his opponents. Later, at the World Cup, he faced the United States in a group match that ended in a draw, followed by a loss to Argentina. The criticism was sharp; fans were frustrated by his refusal to explain why he benched Javier Hernández for Guillermo Franco. On June 2010, after failing to reach the quarter-finals, Aguirre resigned, ending a chapter filled with both qualification heroics and tactical disputes.

Reader's Guide

Aguirre 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 quickly cemented his place as a regular starter. His second spell with Club América proved highly successful, culminating in the 1983–84 championship title, in which he scored in the decisive final. Aguirre then joined Atlante, spending two seasons with the club before heading to Spain to sign with Osasuna. His time in La Liga was disrupted by a serious injury that sidelined him for several months, and after just a year abroad, he returned to Mexico to play for Guadalajara. There, he made over 100 appearances before bringing his playing career to a close. Aguirre earned 59 international caps for the Mexico national team between 1983 and 1992, scoring 13 goals. He was a member of the squad at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, held in Mexico, 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. After his retirement, Aguirre took up managing, first at Atlante and then Pachuca, where he won his first title as manager, the Invierno 1999 championship. On 22 June 2001, Aguirre was appointed manager of the Mexico national team, replacing Enrique Meza. The team sat fifth in their qualifying group for the 2002 FIFA World Cup following a 3–1 away defeat to Honduras, part of a dismal run of just one win in 12 matches. In his debut match on 1 July, El Tri defeated the United States at home. Mexico ultimately qualified in second place behind Costa Rica after securing a crucial 3–0 victory over Honduras at the Estadio Azteca on 11 November. Aguirre coached Mexico at the 2001 Copa América in Colombia, where they beat Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay before losing the final 1–0 to the hosts. The next year, at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Mexico topped their group after wins over Croatia and Ecuador and a draw with Italy, but were eliminated in the round of 16 by the United States. On 6 June 2002, while leading Mexico at the World Cup, Aguirre agreed to coach La Liga club Osasuna after previous manager Miguel Ángel Lotina quit for Celta de Vigo; he had previously played for the Navarrese club. In his first season in Pamplona, the club reached t

Did You Know?

• Aguirre was the first Mexican player to be sent off in a World Cup match, during the 1986 quarter-final against West Germany.
• He led Mexico to a 4–1 win over El Salvador on 10 October 2009 to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
• Aguirre was ejected from a 2009 Gold Cup match for kicking Panamanian player Ricardo Phillips.
• He gave his three sons traditional Basque names: Iker, Ander, and Iñaki.