Mexican national team, without direction?

The ‘dangerous’ summer has begun, as several have labeled these months of activity for the Mexican national team. It’s dangerous, obviously, because of what’s at stake and the potential repercussions.

At the outset, in this second aspect, things seem very clear. Duilio Davino was adamant weeks ago, stating that a change at the technical staff level is not being considered. If we consider changing the coach after every defeat, we will never truly achieve a goal.

The thrashing by Uruguay represented a severe blow in terms of generational change. While the objective might be to test new faces, it’s impossible to ignore the result. When a defeat of such magnitude occurs, there are really few positives to take away. So, although the initial idea might not seem entirely bad, upon final analysis, what could have been an opportunity to showcase talent turns into a scenario where practically everyone involved is exposed and ends up disadvantaged.

Previously, the negative discourse and criticism towards Jaime Lozano were directed at his call-ups and lineups, which regularly featured the same familiar faces. Now that there has been a 180-degree turn, the criticisms haven’t stopped. In fact, they seem to have increased.

Is the fanbase never satisfied?

This might be true. Even Marcelo Bielsa referred to the Mexican fan as a “highly demanding” individual who seems to never be satisfied. But today, we are talking about a significant crisis at the national team level, which not even the most optimistic person could defend.

The downfall of this team began in the summer of 2021, when Mexico was led by Tata Martino and lost the Gold Cup and the Nations League. (Interestingly, that summer Jaime Lozano was experiencing his best moment in the Tokyo Olympics.)

But returning to the senior national team, we are approaching three years of consistently poor results. This is something that no fan can easily tolerate. Except for the Gold Cup won by Jimmy in 2023, every tournament has been a failure, and honestly, the Copa América seems to be heading the same way.

This is why asking the fans for patience seems difficult. Especially for those at home, who bear a significant portion of the expenses for the national team and constantly receive little in return.

The message is clear and it will not change. This continental tournament will be used to test new faces and be as well-prepared as possible for 2026. Will it work? The final tally will be made at the end, and only then can we make a final evaluation.

In the meantime, the coaching staff of the Mexican national team has likely realized that generational change can arrive, but gradually. That is, introduce new faces but accompany them with experienced players who can balance the team.

If the goal is to test a pair of center-backs, then they should be supported with two experienced full-backs and a goalkeeper who can provide them with security. The same applies to the midfield, as they tried with Edson Álvarez against Uruguay, but with little success.

It’s worth remembering that for Qatar 2022, the team arrived with the oldest squad in the competition, and the result was as predicted: a resounding failure.

This is why, two years from the World Cup, the idea of rejuvenating the squad is quite good; however, it cannot happen overnight, as there isn’t enough raw talent to attempt it, nor the patience to assimilate it.

Is there a direction? I believe the answer is: yes.

For the first time in history, there is a clear intention to achieve something in the mid-to-long term, and this is backed by the officials of our football federation. This gives Jaime Lozano the security that he will not lose his job. This is also important because otherwise, one cannot work calmly and pursue a goal if every match could be the last.

They say that the final tally is made at the end, and we can only wait. I won’t ask the fans for patience because if anyone has had it, it’s them. It will be up to Jimmy’s coaching staff and the officials to handle the external criticism and pressure, staying firm in their objective and project for the World Cup in our country.

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