On a night when Gilberto Mora, Mateo Chavez, Alvaro Fidalgo and Guillermo Ochoa all shone brightly for the co-hosts, Javier Aguirre’s Mexico embodied his vision of a team that are every bit as much a family on the pitch as they are off it.
In the immediate aftermath of the Concacaf heavyweights’ , veteran goalkeeper Ochoa, who entered the fray for the final 12 minutes, paused to kiss the goalposts, in a poignant farewell to what could be the last net he will ever protect in a distinguished FIFA World Cup™ career that has spanned six editions.
In a fitting passing of the torch, the first to embrace him were the next generation of national-team glovesmen, Raul Rangel and Carlos Acevedo, with the trio clearly showcasing the goalkeepers’ union that their coach had spoken of in the build-up to the group-stage curtain-closer.
Admiration for the seasoned shot-stopper transcends generations, with even the squad’s youngest guns holding him in the highest regard. Fledgling midfielder Obed Vargas acknowledged that Ochoa was someone that many of the team’s emerging talents had idolised from afar before playing alongside him.
“It’s very special to share a dressing room with a guy we used to watch on TV when we were growing up,” the 20-year-old told FIFA. “We’re in awe of what he’s achieved in his career, but also of the person he is in and around the group.”
The sentiment of that tribute to the long-serving legend was shared by the entire team and echoed around Mexico City Stadium, where the home fans kept chanting his name from the second he got up from the bench to warm up in the closing minutes. Only one member of the squad – third-choice goalkeeper Acevedo – is yet to have got a taste of the action during the current campaign. That speaks volumes about a group in which everyone understands their roles inside out and is raring to go when called upon.
With progression to the next round already assured, the Czechia clash provided an opportunity for some squad rotation and, in particular, first run-outs for striker Guillermo Martínez – a somewhat surprise selection given his lack of involvement in the national-team set-up in recent times – and Chavez, who has the unenviable task of competing for the starting full-back berth with one of El Vasco’s most trusted lieutenants, Jesus Gallardo.
The AZ Alkmaar ace revealed this week that he had urged his family to keep their expectations in check and to savour the occasion, whatever role he might play. As it turned out, his time in the spotlight came sooner than expected; having been handed a place in the starting XI, he seized the opportunity with a maiden goal in international football and scooped Michelob Ultra Superior Player Of The Match honours. The marauding defender directed his celebration towards the stands, where his father, former Mexico international Paulo Tilón Chavez, and brother could barely contain their excitement.
The gleeful goalscorer then made a beeline for his partner in crime, Armando Gonzalez – who was amongst the substitutes – to perform the iconic Dragon Ball Z fusion dance. The pair have been , having climbed every rung of the ladder together. That moment told us all we needed to know about the bond that unites this tight-knit squad.
“For me, it’s all about family, strength and solidarity with my team-mates,” Chavez told reporters. “Every player who steps onto the pitch gives their all.”
After finishing their clean sweep of nine points, which represents El Tri’s best return in the tournament’s history, Aguirre closed his pre-match press conference by invoking a figure still cherished by many a Mexican fan: Bora Milutinovic.
While the Mexico City native’s remarks centred on the top tactician’s approach to squad management, the influence of the mentor whom he played under at the global showpiece on home soil 40 years ago has clearly left an indelible mark on the current incumbent of the hotseat.
Milutinovic’s men also came together for an extended pre-tournament training camp, forging the unity that underpinned a campaign in which the Mexicans matched the quarter-final finish achieved in 1970 and setting a benchmark that continues to resonate with generations of the country’s stars, especially now the competition has returned to North America.
With the backing of his players’ clubs, Aguirre adopted a similar approach ahead of this year’s global extravaganza, with his ideas already bearing fruit. It has helped to foster a team identity and a sense of belonging, which have been essential in enabling Mexico to reach the knockout stage as a united group. The philosophy has won over battle-hardened campaigners and fresh faces alike.
By the time the players reached the mixed zone, loud brass band music blared out along the corridor they were walking through on their way to the team bus. Fidalgo, who had wrapped up the scoring, broke into a smile and pointed down the hallway: “That’s Alexis Vega for you!”
The striker’s arrival offered the perfect illustration of the thought that followed. “Javier talks a lot about family, and sometimes that’s a weighty word, because there’s nothing quite like family! But, honestly, if you could see the team spirit here, the rapport between us players, the coaching staff and everyone else involved, you’d understand why he says that. It’s really admirable.”
The same sense of togetherness is spilling onto the streets of Mexico. Last week, more than 400,000 people gathered around the Angel of Independence monument to celebrate El Tricolor’s progression to the round of 32. Three victories in as many outings have turned that single night of celebration into a nationwide wave of optimism.
The atmosphere around the team is now charged with a real sense of possibility – one that the fans have embraced so wholeheartedly that a single question has become their collective refrain: “What if they pull it off?”
Sources: FIFA Official
