Mexico purges leaders after their choices fail

MEXICO CITY (AFP) – Two qualifiers in less than a month have shaken the fabric of Mexico’s national soccer teams with a series of layoffs.

The president of the Mexican Football Federation, Yon de Luisa, announced the dismissal of two senior leaders, as well as coach of the under-20 team, Luis Perez.

The layoffs took place two days after the women’s team were eliminated from the World Cups in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“Unfortunately we did not achieve the goals and I know it was a failure, as the same players, FIFA and especially the Mexican fans were affected. Perez wrote on his social networks, “I realize this and take full responsibility.”

Two weeks ago, at the World Cup held in Honduras, the U20 team led by Perez lost in the quarter-finals to Guatemala. The fiasco cost him World Cup tickets in the Indonesia 2023 category and the Olympic event in Paris.

“The fact that I didn’t get to the world championships and two passes in the Olympics is what led to this decision,” de Luisa said. But there were already indications of operations that were not at the level we were looking for.”

De Luisa dismissed Gerardo Torrado, the general sporting director of the federation, as well as Ignacio Hierro, the sporting director of the national teams.

The federation president said the continuation of Monica Vergara, the coach of the women’s triathlon team, is under analysis and her future will be decided soon.

Vergara lost all three matches in the CONCACAF qualifiers against Jamaica, Haiti and the United States. They said goodbye without scoring a single goal.

Four months before the start of the World Cup in Qatar, Torrado leaves his departure without a leader to accompany the work of the first team led by Argentine Gerardo Martino.

Today I step aside and take full responsibility for the recent results. “I am using this experience as an opportunity to grow as a person and as a professional,” Torrado said on his social networks.

Al-Terri prepares to face Argentina, Saudi Arabia and Poland in Group C.

“It does not affect Gerardo Martino,” De Luisa said. Yesterday (Tuesday) I spoke with him extensively and announced the decisions. Martino’s commitment is to the federation and that remains intact and he has our full support.”

Torrado, a former player for the Mexican national team, has never worked as a coach. She started her jobs in June 2019.

“We will be looking for someone with experience, who is active and who knows the work of the women’s and men’s branches,” de Luisa said.

“We don’t just want to change the people, we also want to strengthen the structure,” de Luisa said. This is intended to avoid outcomes such as those that have occurred in recent weeks.

The two teams’ elimination from the upcoming Olympics and World Cup twice is a serious blow not only in sports but also in economic terms, especially for the TV networks with the broadcasting rights.

“Because the owners aren’t saying enough, we don’t want to hold this broadcast match, it’s over,” former player Hugo Sanchez told ESPN. “The distribution of money in Mexico is not fair, it is enough for some and insufficient for others for their teams.”

The Mexican teams’ content is broadcast exclusively by Televisa and TV Azteca, which paid $200 million in 2017 to extend an agreement to run until the 2026 World Cup. That year, NBC/Universal, Telemundo and América Móvil submitted a $500 million bid that was turned down. .