Mexico’s impressive World Cup debut brought mixed reactions. Although they secured a 2-0 win against South Africa at the Azteca Stadium, they faced immediate international scrutiny. Notably, Argentine journalist Toti Pasman critiqued the national team, suggesting that Javier Aguirre’s squad lacks the mentality required for deep advancement in the tournament.
Pasman was particularly vocal about El Tri’s tactical choices after gaining the lead, asserting that, with over 80,000 supporters in attendance, Mexico opted to play conservatively instead of pursuing a dominant victory against a reportedly weak opponent.
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“Mexico lacks greatness, which is why you’ve historically been a losing national team at World Cups,” he proclaimed in his editorial.
He also criticized the refereeing, claiming Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio displayed bias by allowing South Africa to finish with only nine players. He dismissed Julián Quiñones’ goal, characterizing the first half as merely offering a “gift” from the opposition, while suggesting that the later ejection of captain César ‘Cachorro’ Montes was an attempt to “balance the game.”
Finally, Pasman expressed disappointment in the strategies proposed by ‘Vasco’ Aguirre and Rafael Márquez, opining that the conservative style of play was underwhelming. He suggested that if the intent was to witness such a cautious approach, the team’s management should have looked to the past for coaches like Lavolpe or Bigotón, who are known for favoring attacking football.
This article has been translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.