Background on Javier Aguirre and Mexico’s Team
Javier Aguirre, the head coach of Mexico’s national football team, known as “El Tri,” recently acknowledged that Dominican Republic put up a strong challenge during Mexico’s debut match in the 2025 Gold Cup. Despite being ranked 139th in FIFA’s world ranking and 15th in Concacaf, Dominican Republic managed to keep Mexico on their toes with their fluid, vertical, and electric style of play.
The Match Against Dominican Republic
Mexico entered the match following a 2-4 loss to Switzerland and a narrow 1-0 victory over Turkey. The Gold Cup, as the defending champions, is crucial for Mexico before hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The team aimed to bounce back from criticism over their defensive performance against Switzerland.
Dominican Republic, though not known for a strong football presence, managed to score twice against Mexico’s experienced defenders: César Montes, Jesús Gallardo, Jorge Sánchez, and Edson Álvarez. The match ended 3-2 in favor of Mexico, with goals from Edson Álvarez, Raúl Jiménez, and César Montes.
Aguirre’s Reflections and Future Focus
Aguirre admitted that Dominican Republic “surprised” Mexico with their performance, emphasizing the need to improve on defensive errors. He stated, “We didn’t underestimate the opponent; instead, we played with a lot of energy because they pushed us to our limits.”
The coach plans to concentrate on the upcoming match against Surinam, aiming for another victory and maintaining focus on the Gold Cup. Aguirre aims to be objective about his team’s performance, identifying areas for improvement and working diligently with his players.
Upcoming Matches in the 2025 Gold Cup
Mexico’s next group stage match will be against Surinam on June 18 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Their final group stage game will be against Costa Rica on June 22 at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Costa Rica is coached by former Mexico coach, Miguel Herrera.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is Javier Aguirre? Javier Aguirre is the head coach of Mexico’s national football team, “El Tri.”
- What is the significance of the 2025 Gold Cup for Mexico? The Gold Cup is crucial for Mexico as they aim to defend their title and prepare for hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- How did Dominican Republic perform against Mexico? Despite being lower-ranked, Dominican Republic put up a strong challenge, scoring twice against Mexico’s experienced defenders.
- What are Aguirre’s plans moving forward? Aguirre intends to focus on improving defensive errors and securing victories against Surinam and Costa Rica in the upcoming Gold Cup matches.
