The pain over the elimination of the Mexican team in the 2026 World Cup is still fresh, but from the core of the team the balance is not entirely negative. Erik Lira and Guillermo “Memote” Martínez rejected that the fall of the Tricolor is identical to the failures of the last four decades. For them, the radical difference was in the stands: the enormous enthusiasm and sense of belonging that they gave back to the Aztec followers.

Far from severe self-criticism, both footballers talked about leaving a legacy. Lira stated that a seed was sown in this tournament that will soon bear fruit. For his part, Martínez highlighted the total communion that was achieved with the public, achieving an atmosphere of national identity that had not been perceived in the country for many years. The weight of the last 40 years: Known ghosts

Neither player agreed that this disappointment should be measured by the same yardstick as the historical setbacks of the past:

Mexico 1986: The painful elimination in a penalty shootout against Germany in Monterrey. United States 1994: Another fall from eleven steps, that time against Bulgaria in New York. France 1998: A bitter comeback by Germany that stopped the team's great moment. Korea-Japan 2002: The unforgettable 2-0 against the United States, a match marked by the questioned tactical decisions of Javier Aguirre. Germany 2006: A memorable performance against Argentina that ended suddenly due to Maxi Rodríguez's great goal. South Africa 2010: With 'Vasco' repeating on the bench, mistakes were costly, including the ownership of an ineffective Adolfo 'Bofo' Bautista in the 3-1 against the Albiceleste. From dubious penalties to the collapse of QatarThe chain of frustrations continued in recent editions. In Brazil 2014, the famous “It wasn't a penalty” on Arjen Robben deprived Miguel Herrera's Tricolor of a clear option to advance to the quarterfinals.

Four years later, in Russia 2018, Juan Carlos Osorio's constant rotations diluted the World Cup dream in the round of 16 against Brazil, leaving the historic 1-0 victory over Germany in the group stage forgotten.

The lowest point came in Qatar 2022 with Gerardo Martino, putting in one of the most regrettable performances that forced a deep restructuring to be considered. However, after the failed and short processes of Diego Cocca and Jaime Lozano, the return of Javier Aguirre for his third term concluded with the outcome already known in 2026: an elimination in a vibrant but painful 2-3 against England. “We sowed a seed”: The voice of the protagonists

Despite the cold numbers, the players value the path taken in this North American World Cup. "The connection that was had with the people was impressive. From the opening, which was not a simple match, each match had its degree of difficulty and the team knew how to recover," analyzed Guillermo Martínez, remembering in a special way the 2-0 victory against Ecuador in the group stage. “We were excited, we believed and above all we had faith.”

Erik Lira supported that vision of pride and honor by falling to one of the powers of the competition, projecting a better outlook for national football. "It fills me with pride to be Mexican, to wear this shirt and to belong to this family. We sowed a seed that we will remember tomorrow. I am sure that very good things are coming for us," concluded the midfielder.