Aguirre motivates the Tricolors with Sergeant Pedraza's feat

▲ The Tricolor coach refers to the former race walker to define the style of the national team, which faces Suriname today. Photo courtesy of FMF

Alberto Aceves

La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, p. a10

Javier Aguirre, Mexico's technical director for the 2026 World Cup, uses the image of race walker José Sargento Pedraza, a career soldier and winner of a silver medal at the 1968 Olympic Games, to define the style that identifies the team against any rival in competition. It's very difficult to talk about a style, but ours can't be that of Germany, Japan, Brazil, or Argentina. "We are Mexicans ," he says before recalling the arrival of the former Michoacan walker, who courageously raised his hand upon reaching the finish line, as if cursing himself for not having achieved the gold medal snatched from him in the final stretches by the Soviet Vladimir Golubnichy.

“If the players want to see what represents us, I tell them to turn on YouTube and look up Sergeant Pedraza's race in '68; you see that grimace of pain, that's the Mexican who doesn't give in. The same as Julio César Chávez's fights and now Canelo Álvarez's, that's the way we're playing.” Aguirre's reflection marks a benchmark hours before the match against Suriname, the second in the current edition of the Gold Cup after a hard-fought victory (3-2) over the Dominican Republic, ranked 139th in the FIFA rankings and qualified for the CONCACAF tournament for the first time.

Suriname has the most players in Europe within the region (22, twice as many as Mexico). They are represented in Italy, Ukraine, England, Greece, Georgia, Cyprus, Serbia, Belgium, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Although geographically located on the northeast coast of South America, the team coached by Dutchman Stanley Menzo is a member of CONCACAF due to the notable differences in level compared to its other South American rivals. In its Gold Cup debut, Costa Rica had to overcome to defeat the so-called Suriboys , enthusiasts of speed and attacking transitions.

"There's no such thing as a small enemy ," warns the national team coach, who has the experience of the first inning against another rival from the island, the Dominican Republic, a nation steeped in baseball traditions that nearly defeated the Dominican Republic at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The players know that criticism is inherent to the position; it comes with the salary. I've been a coach for 30 years; I started in 1996 with Atlante. If there's one thing that's changed in that time, it's social media. I see these friends are very aware of that; I just try to protect them. They have to learn how to behave and distinguish between what contributes most to their careers .

Compared to the current trend in football, Aguirre is an old-school coach. What he knows about this trade, having coached El Tricolor three times (Korea-Japan 2002, South Africa 2010, the previous ones), he learned from other masters of his generation, such as Miguel Mejía Barón and Bora Milutinovic. That's why he insists on the value of the jersey.

Today I feel proud of coming to the national team, of wearing this , he says, pointing to the emblem on his sports uniform. But even when it comes to showing solidarity with millions of Mexicans, El Vasco prefers to stay away from the immigration raids in the United States by the Donald Trump administration.

In the same vein as the former Mallorca manager, the son of Basque immigrants, CONCACAF emphasizes the sporting aspect of the tournament over the endless protests led by the Mexican community residing in the northern country. "We work daily with our security team at the stadiums and with the various government organizations in each city to ensure we hold a competition that celebrates soccer and is solely about sport ," emphasizes Heidi Pellerano, CONCACAF's commercial director, in light of the possibility of further unrest in the streets.

Mexico and Costa Rica, led by Miguel Herrera—the Tricolor coach at Brazil 2014—are in the top two spots in Group A with three points. If they win their next matches, they'll secure their spot in the quarterfinals, where the top two teams in each group advance. " There's no small opponent ," Aguirre reiterated. "I maintain that we're favorites with two or three teams; we'll have to grow and improve in every match. We have an obligation to do so. Soccer is a team sport, but sometimes we think too much about ourselves and not about others ."

▲ The Mexican coach, who now manages the Costa Rican national team, reiterated his support for Mexicans and all Latinos suffering from Trump's anti-immigrant policies. Photo @ fedefutbolcrc

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, p. a10

Miguel Herrera, coach of the Costa Rican national team, spoke out regarding the difficult situation faced by thousands of undocumented migrants in the United States. Despite being a sensitive topic, on which even Javier Aguirre, coach of the Tricolor, chose not to offer his opinion, El Piojo expressed solidarity with his fellow countrymen who attend every Mexican match.

"We've already said it, but I reiterate it: unconditional support for all Latinos, not just for Mexicans in this country. But we've always said it: the demonstration must be peaceful and well-led. We may be unhappy, we may be upset, but as long as we do it in an orderly manner and without excesses, we will always be with them in unconditional support for all our countrymen, for all the Latino people who are, right now, suffering the consequences ," the Mexican coach declared at a press conference before today's Gold Cup match between Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic in Arlington, Texas.

Herrera, who will face Mexico on Sunday in the final match of the tournament's regular phase, joined Luis Fernando Tena as the two coaches in the tournament who have expressed solidarity with Latinos suffering from the immigration raids promoted by the Donald Trump administration in various cities across the United States.

"I'm not a spokesperson for the Mexicans; I'm the coach of the national soccer team. This is a sports issue. We have a match against Turkey, and I have no information to offer. All I know is from what I see on television. I need more information ," Aguirre argued a week ago before the friendly against the Turks, when asked about the issue.

Given this situation, there was uncertainty regarding the attendance at Sofi Stadium for the Tricolor's debut in the tournament, as venues are typically packed for both friendlies and regional cups. Concacaf reported just over 50,000 tickets sold on Saturday, in a venue designed for 70,000 people, but the number grew to 54,309.

▲ The Spanish executive points out that this tournament undermines the sustainability of football. Photo @javier.tebas

AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, p. a11

Madrid. Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, reiterated his opposition to the Club World Cup. "My goal is for there to be no more ," he declared yesterday at a press conference in Madrid.

When asked how FIFA could improve a tournament being held for the first time in the United States with the world's top 32 teams (June 14-July 13), he was blunt.

Eliminating it. My goal is to stop there being more Club World Cups. There are no more dates, and there's no need for another tournament , said Tebas, who believes it's a matter of financial balance.

There's no more money in the world of audiovisual rights. We have to maintain the sustainability of football; there's no way, neither based on dates nor on economics , he added.

The tournament started last Saturday, although the president of the Spanish league assured that he has barely followed it. "I'm not watching it. On Monday, I watched a bit of Chelsea (against Los Angeles FC) and it seemed like a summer friendly. I didn't see any intensity in the 25 minutes I watched of the match ," he criticized.

He also explained that the participation of two Spanish teams, Real Madrid and Atlético, in the tournament affects the championship, since if either team reaches the final, it is scheduled for July 14, just a month before the start of the league.

According to the collective bargaining agreement, there are three weeks of vacation (for players), and La Liga will honor it. "We'll see what happens ," Tebas said, admitting that both Real Madrid clubs have requested a postponement of the first matches of the season, although the management has not yet made a decision.

As far as I know, the Premier League teams that are playing (in the Club World Cup) are going to start on August 14; the Bundesliga teams too , he concluded.

▲ At this point, you start wondering if you'll ever make the Mexican national team, because you should at least be a world-class player , says Sebastián García, the Mexican compound bowman. Photo @bachan_13

Adriana Díaz Reyes

La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, p. a12

Maintaining a place on the archery team and making it to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games is an increasingly difficult task for both the sport's leading figures and the new generations.

The rapid growth of practitioners of the specialty and its increased popularity following the Olympic medals makes the fight for a spot on the national team even more intense.

“There's so much talent in Mexico that sometimes you wonder if you'll ever make it to the national team. At this point, you need to be in the world's top ranks to make the team, and that speaks volumes about your skill level, but it also makes things more complicated,” shared Sebastián García, Mexico's compound bow representative and World Cup medalist.

In the run-up to Paris 2024, Olympic medalists Mariana Avitia, Aída Román, and Luis Álvarez were left out of the team; their places were taken by juniors Ángela Ruiz, Ana Paula Vázquez, and Matías Grande.

You have to find your best version. Right now, some of us are on the team, but next year, who knows, others will come after me who want to take my place. I feel very fortunate for the confidence they're showing us young people, because it motivates us not to let the country down.

World Archery Mexico, directed by Gabriel Ramos, is committed to the future of the sport by focusing on developing a new generation that will represent the country at both Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032.

Archery is a breeding ground that never stops bearing fruit. We have a wealth of talent in many states, as well as established athletes like Alejandra Valencia; she's the strength of the team, always supporting and sharing her experience with others , Ramos commented.

Work axes

Building new training centers, training more mentors, and organizing more national competitions are three of the main areas of work for the coming years.

"How can we get more archers shooting arrows? The idea is to build schools across the country, because the more athletes we have practicing archery, the more opportunities we'll have to find new champions ," Ramos shared.

To date, archery has earned Mexico four Olympic medals: two individual and two team.

Ramos' project seeks to expand our country's existing talent pool with the idea that a greater number of athletes to choose from will lead to a higher-quality team.

The work is evident at the National Championships, where the level is very high; dozens of archers are competing for medals in both recurve and compound archery, and that makes us proud.

Matías Grande, Valentina Vázquez, and Karime Montoya are talents in the spotlight for the recurve bow, while Carlos and Andrés, brothers of Maya Becerra, world number one, stand out for the compound bow.

Starting with Los Angeles 2028, Mexico will have new medal opportunities thanks to the inclusion of the compound bow category by the International Olympic Committee.

When I chose the compound bow, I already knew the Olympic dream wasn't for me; when I heard the news that an event would be included, I was thrilled, because no competition can compare to attending the Games; that's an experience that stays with you forever , García concluded.

AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, p. a12

London. Nine days after playing in the Roland Garros final, Carlos Alcaraz (champion) and Jannik Sinner made their debuts with victories at Queen's and Halle, respectively. The Murcian defeated Australian Adam Walton 6-4, 7-6, while the Italian defeated local Yannick Hanfmann 7-5, 6-3.

After spending a few days resting in Ibiza, Alcaraz showed a quick and precise adaptation to the British turf of the ATP 500.

The player, coached by Juan Carlos Mosquito Ferrero, learned while at Queen's that his compatriot Alejandro Davidovich wouldn't be his first opponent: the Malaga native suffered a stomach ache the night before, and Walton took his place. Since there was no previous history between the Australian and the Spaniard, the latter had to inquire about his opponent's characteristics.

World number two Alcaraz won in one hour and 42 minutes after saving both break points generated by Walton. The Spaniard is looking to become the first player to win ATP titles on three different surfaces this season, having already won on hard courts (Rotterdam) and clay (Monte Carlo, Rome, and Roland Garros).

In the next round he will face Australian Jordan Thompson (37) or Spaniard Jaume Munar (59).

▲ The Murcian (pictured) won in his appearance at the Queen's Tournament in London, while the Italian won in Halle, Germany. Photo AFP

Australian Alex de Miñaur (12) and American Ben Shelton (10) suffered unexpected eliminations in the first round.

"I spent several sleepless nights after the Roland Garros final ," Sinner admitted at the ATP 500 in Halle, Germany, where he is defending his title.

The 23-year-old player made his debut on German grass with a victory and, in the next round, will face the unpredictable and talented Kazakh Alexander Bublik (45).

I'm satisfied with my performance. First matches on grass are never easy. We'll see what happens in the next round , said Sinner, who in an hour and a half hit 10 aces , didn't commit double faults, served 71 percent of his first serves, and won 84 percent of his first serve points.

In the next round, the world number one will face Bublik, an awkward opponent, but one he defeated in the Roland Garros quarterfinals.

"It's a match with a completely uncertain prognosis. He's a tremendous player with immense talent. We all know grass is his favorite surface. He beat me in this very tournament before. I remember he was champion here a couple of seasons ago ," Sinner recalled.

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, p. a31

Canada's national team confirmed its status as a serious contender to win the Gold Cup alongside the United States and Mexico. The team coached by former soccer player Mauro Biello made a statement by defeating Honduras 6-0 in its debut in the tournament, which was played yesterday at BC Place Stadium.

Niko Sigur opened the scoring in the 27th minute, capitalizing on a poor defensive clearance and beating goalkeeper Edrick Menjívar with a powerful, low shot. Before the half ended, the Maple Leafs increased their lead with a left-footed shot into the top corner by Tani Oluwaseyi (45+2).

In the second half, the story of the match remained unchanged, with the Canadian side creating numerous dangerous plays thanks to the speed of their attacking players, despite the absence of their star player, Bayern Munich player Alphonso Davies, for this match.

Villarreal's Tajon Buchanan took advantage of his team's dominance to increase the lead with a brace (48th and 65th). In the final minutes, Canadian attacks continued, and in the 75th minute, Promise David finished alone in front of the opponent's goal in the six-yard box, and in the 90th, Nathan Saliba sealed the victory.

With this result, Canada moved into first place in Group B, where El Salvador drew 0-0 with Curaçao yesterday at PayPal Park in San José. In this match, Mexican Katia Itzel García became the first woman to referee a Gold Cup match.

The Caribbean team will face Canada in its next match on Saturday, while Honduras will play La Selecta that same day in the second round of the tournament.