Mexico boss Javier Aguirre had no doubt that Tuesday’s victory over Ecuador was the best of his coaching career, having finally led El Tri to a fifth game at the World Cup.
The World Cup co-hosts played exactly four games at seven consecutive editions of the finals between 1994 and 2018, advancing from the group stage on every occasion before losing in the last 16.
But Mexico will play a fifth match at this year’s edition after superb first-half finishes from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez powered them to a 2-0 victory at the Azteca.
Mexico are the first CONCACAF team to eliminate a CONMEBOL representative from the World Cup in a knockout match, after South American sides had won their previous five knockout meetings with CONCACAF teams.
And, after overseeing Mexico’s first knockout win at the tournament since 1986, when they were also on home soil for a last-16 triumph over Bulgaria, Aguirre said the feeling of satisfaction was unmatched.
Asked if it was the best win of his career, Aguirre said: “Surely yes. I have had several good victories, but none like [this].
“It is with your home, with your people. I know that when there are whistles and boos, I am the first to say it, but this was a perfect night.
“It means a lot to me, I was one of those who couldn’t go to the fifth game, it hurts a lot. You go through the first phase and do well, then make a very serious mistake.
“Today, the communion with the people was a boost, it’s a spectacular stadium. We have to see how they are with the fatigue… Quinones and [Roberto] Alvarado, they went to the limit. It was a beautiful night for all Mexicans.”
1 – México es el primer equipo de la Concacaf en eliminar a un equipo de CONMEBOL en un partido de eliminatoria directa de la Copa Mundial de la FIFA. Los equipos sudamericanos habían ganado los cinco enfrentamientos previos de este tipo. Liberación. pic.twitter.com/y3ubnuYGZM
— OptaJorge (@OptaJorge) July 1, 2026
Quinones (three) and Jimenez (two) are the second pair of Mexico players to score multiple goals at the same World Cup, after Luis Hernandez (four), Ricardo Pelaez (two) in 1998.
He also became only the second Mexican player to record a goal and an assist in a single World Cup knockout-stage match, after Manuel Negrete versus Bulgaria in 1986.
And Aguirre is delighted to see El Tri making waves on the biggest stage of all, saying: “It is a group that deserves what is happening, with these World Cup matches. We are among the best 16 teams.
“We are a family, even those who do not play, it is a spectacular group. We played good football, they had to chase the game.
“Where I was dissatisfied was with the counters, they could have killed the party, but, above all, the Mexican people deserve this.”
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