National team coach Javier "Vasco" Aguirre stated that the recent friendly matches of the Mexican national team against Panama and Bolivia were fundamental to evaluating his squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

The coach made these statements Following Mexico's 1-0 victory over Bolivia in Santa Cruz, a match decided by a goal from Argentine-Mexican German Berterame.

Aguirre: Key Tests Beyond the Result

In a press conference, the Mexican coach was clear about the objective of these international matches:

“In some ways, these two matches were very useful for drawing conclusions, and that was the objective.”

Aguirre explained that the intention was not only to win, but also to observe the players' behavior in unusual contexts.

Players Outside Their Comfort Zone

The “Vasco” detailed that he sought to evaluate the character and adaptability of the group in adverse scenarios:

“Beyond the result, the objective was to see the players, to subject them to a different environment, a different field, a different ball, a different refereeing style, so that they weren't comfortable and could demonstrate that, despite the adversities, they have the ability and sizes to be on the national team.”

This approach is part of the process of building the team that will represent Mexico at the 2026 World Cup.

Self-criticism and praise for the young players of El Tri

Aguirre acknowledged that there are still aspects to improve within the collective performance, admitting that “there are things to correct.” However, he also highlighted the performance of the young players who debuted with the Mexican national team, who pleasantly surprised him.

The coach valued the response of the new players in a demanding international context.

Analysis of the match against Bolivia

Regarding the development of the match in Santa Cruz,Aguirre was self-critical and acknowledged that the result could have been different:

Bolivia had “a couple of good chances to tie the game,” so “a draw might have been fair,” although he noted that in football “circumstances can sometimes make you win or lose.”

Furthermore, the Mexican coach expressed his support for the South American team in their immediate future.

Message of support for Bolivia and final assessment

“Bolivia has a playoff coming up soon and I can only wish them the best of luck because I would like to see them at the World Cup.”

It's worth remembering that, in the other friendly played on Thursday, El Tri also won 1-0 against Panama, thanks to an own goal in the 90+3 minute, thus concluding a positive international tour for Javier Aguirre's process towards the 2026 World Cup.