NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
It wasn’t just a victory. It was a party.
How else could you describe the incredible scenes we saw tonight in Mexico City? A vibrant, feel-good and extremely joyful celebration unfolded as Mexican fans, already satisfied with the fact that their national team had already dominated Group A and reached the round of 16, saw El Tri emerge victorious with a 3-0 victory over Czechia.
And let me tell you something: this Mexican team isn’t just here to compete. He wants to make history.
Here are my takeaways:
1. The power of the local crowd speaks loudly
The noise in the legendary Mexico City venue was high, the energy amplified to the max. He absolutely made the most of his home game and fully delivered.
Javier Aguirre made five changes from the team that beat South Korea, which included teenager Gilberto Mora. Later in the match, Guillermo Ochoa even entered the game to the joy of the stadium, generating even more celebrations for the Mexican faithful.
Mexico played with more freedom and with the feeling that there was no pressure to achieve a result.
The first goal came courtesy of 22-year-old full-back Mateo Chávez, who scored his first World Cup goal on his first start. It was a superb finish with great aggression and composure from the full-back in the 54th minute. Six minutes later, the home team doubled their lead thanks to the team’s most dangerous player so far in the tournament: Julián Quiñones. After that, the party continued with the arrival of Ochoa to a loud welcome.
“Olé!” » could be heard every time the team touched the ball until the end of the match.
And then in stoppage time, Alvaro Fidalgo signed it and delivered it, fully wrapping up the celebration with a powerful finish for a 3-0 victory.
2. This is the most confident Mexican team I’ve seen in years
Think about that for a second. Mexico is the only team in the World Cup to have won all of its matches and not conceded a single goal. For the first time in its history, it had a perfect campaign in the first three matches.
This is a very strong and resilient Mexican team with one goal: to work hard for everything and win.
Anyone who comes to Mexico City to face El Tri will have a difficult time and it won’t just be because of the altitude.
In preparation for the World Cup, Aguirre created an extremely demanding training schedule because, as a former member of the 1986 team, he wanted to create a team with a steely spirit. It worked.
This team is full of confidence, something I honestly haven’t been able to say in a long time.
3. To you, Memo Ochoa
(Photo by Hector Vivas – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
The match was all but won for Mexico when Aguirre made the best move and introduced the legendary Memo Ochoa in the 78th minute to replace Raúl “Tala” Rangel. One last dance for the iconic stopper who celebrates his 41st birthday six days before the final.
Ochoa is now the seventh player over 40 to participate in this year’s tournament and just for context, according to FotMob, only seven players aged 40 or over had participated in the previous 22 editions of the World Cup.
And in the heights of Mexico, he joined a ratified air: he is the first goalkeeper to participate in six editions of the World Cup and joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the only three male players to have participated in so many tournaments. An unused substitute in 2006 and 2010, Ochoa has now played in four tournaments – in 2014, 2018, 2022 and now 2026.
At the end of the game, Ochoa knelt down and took it all in while his teammates embraced him because they all knew it was probably the last time he would play as a professional.
A fantastic moment from a magnificent goalkeeper.
4. The future is bright for 17-year-old Gilberto Mora
(Photo by Cesar Gomez/Jam Media/Getty Images)
At 17 years and 253 days old, Mora became the youngest Mexican player to start a FIFA Men’s World Cup and also the sixth youngest starter in World Cup history. He is also the youngest player in this particular tournament.
Performance-wise, the young man started slowly, but after the first hydration break, he started to get more involved. And in the second half even more, by making beautiful passes just a little too short for his teammates. But you could see the quality.
You can also see the confidence he possesses on the right side of midfield, as he is able to take on defenders and find the right pass. At 17 years old, it’s extremely impressive to see someone with so much certainty, especially on the biggest stage in world football.
5. Czechia was a good test for Mexico
Miroslav Koubek’s team lost 2-0, but Czechia proved to be a good opponent as they offered a different type of obstacle than Mexico is used to. He used a five-man defensive line that liked to take advantage of long throws and set pieces and relied on a powerful 6-foot-4 forward, Adam Hložek.
They are also a very direct and pressing team, which forces El Tri to play faster, which is exactly what Mexico did in the second half. Whatever happens to the co-host in the round of 16 and hopefully beyond, he must now prepare to face any type of opponent. And the Czechia’s stubborn approach provides a good test.
Czechia played with a lot of pressure, knowing that a victory was essential. He could have even placed second in the group with a victory coupled with South Africa’s victory over South Korea. But unfortunately for Czechia, their World Cup was over.
