All posts tagged: Javier Aguirre

Forget Maradona’s ghost, England’s real Azteca problem is Mexico’s defence

Forget Maradona’s ghost, England’s real Azteca problem is Mexico’s defence

Published by Webster

England’s landscape does not lack heterogeneity, except for mountains. On Sunday, it is precisely what they will have to climb if they are to reach the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by beating Mexico. The first is literal. The Estadio Azteca sits 2,240 metres above sea level, though quality can compensate for it. The second is historical. In their last World Cup fixture at the Azteca, England lost 2-1 to Argentina, and on that occasion the mountain was Diego Armando Maradona, his 5’5″ frame, and the hand which made him a god. It might not induce the same dread among the current crop. The third is statistical. Mexico have never lost a World Cup match at the Azteca and own a remarkable 78.65 percent win rate at the stadium. Knockout football, though, has never cared much for probabilities. And then comes the steepest climb of them all: Mexico’s defence. The conversation around Javier Aguirre’s side has revolved around teenage sensation Gilberto Mora, Julián Quiñones’ flair and Raúl Jiménez’s renaissance. Yet Aguirre’s team has …

Raul Jimenez nearly died in 2020. Now he leads Mexico’s World Cup dream

Raul Jimenez nearly died in 2020. Now he leads Mexico’s World Cup dream

Published by Webster

The image has become so familiar that it is easy to forget why it exists. Every time Raul Jimenez walks onto a football pitch, the black protective headband accompanies him. It is no longer merely equipment. It is a reminder – of a collision that nearly killed him, of a career that almost ended, and of a second chance that has turned him into something bigger than Mexico’s No. 9. When Mexico begin another knockout campaign against Ecuador on Tuesday (Wednesday 6.30 am, IST), the country’s hopes rest not only on a resurgent team playing at home, but on a striker who knows more than most about second chances. “I was almost losing everything, even my life,” Jimenez told The Times. “So I’m trying to enjoy football as much as I can. Everything, not just football, everything I try to enjoy more.” ALSO READ | FIFA World Cup: Magical strike by Mexico’s most-loved striker It is a remarkable perspective for someone carrying the expectations of a nation that has spent decades trying to escape one …