Mexico have already secured first place, but Javier Aguirre still faces key decisions as El Tri prepare to face Czechia before the World Cup knockout rounds.
Javier "Vasco" Aguirre is living Mexican football history, whether you like his style or not.
Before this World Cup kicked off, Aguirre had already been involved in four World Cups with Mexico in some capacity: in 1986 as a player, in 1994 as an assistant manager, and in 2002 and 2010 as manager. But what makes this run remarkable is that if Mexico finish the job against Czechia, Aguirre will once again be part of a Mexican team that wins its group.
"Finishing as group leader today, like in 2002, is anecdotal," he said after El Tri's 1-0 win over South Korea. "In the end, what matters is where you finish. FIFA has us at No. 13 today, but we want to improve and get into the top 10 in the world."
He did not say it directly, but for Mexico to make that leap, they will likely need to reach the quarterfinals, as they did in 1986, when Aguirre was part of the squad.
Coaching is different, and what the first 180 minutes have shown is that managers always want teams to reflect them. They try to build habits that often belong to club football and then attempt to reproduce them at the national team level, where time is limited and pressure arrives quickly.
Aguirre's World Cup experiences have shaped the manager he is now. He says he is calmer these days, although against South Korea, he still found himself in a heated exchange with the referee. So that calm remains a work in progress, but his essence is still there.
Never before have El Tri won a World Cup group after two games. Better yet, they have done so without conceding a goal. In 2026 alone, Mexico have conceded only two goals. That is Aguirre's image: a balanced team with defensive quality.
Now comes Czechia at Estadio Azteca, a match that will not change Mexico's place in the group but could still shape what this team becomes before the knockout rounds.
Here are GOAL'sfive keys to watch as Mexico and Czechia meet in Mexico City.
How much will Aguirre be willing to change the XI?
This is the first real luxury Aguirre has had at this World Cup. Mexico have already won the group and guaranteed that their next match will be played in Mexico City. That gives Aguirre breathing room, but not permission to turn the match into an experiment.
The South Korea game took a lot out of Mexico. It was not a match of constant attacking flow, but it demanded focus without the ball.
Aguirre is not the type of manager who enjoys treating competitive matches as formalities. The group is already won, but rhythm matters. So does the image Mexico project at home. The most likely scenario is not a full rotation, but a measured one: fresh legs in midfield, minutes for players who need tournament rhythm, and enough of the core to keep the team's structure intact.
Only four players have yet to see minutes at this World Cup: Guillermo Ochoa , Carlos Acevedo , Guillermo Martínez and Mateo Chávez. Czechia could be the moment for Aguirre to open up the squad a little more, but every change will still have to serve the team's larger purpose.
Obed Vargas and Gilberto Mora in midfield?
This is the game in which Aguirre can give the midfield a different look. Obed Vargas and Gilberto Mora both represent something Mexico might need later in the tournament: energy.
They also share a connection that grew during the Under-20 World Cup in Chile, where El Tri reached the quarterfinals. That familiarity could matter if Aguirre decides to give them minutes together.
With the group already settled, Czechia become the right opponent against whom to test how much they can offer from the start.
Vargas gives Mexico bite in duels and a willingness to play forward quickly. He already showed against South Korea that he can enter a tense game and immediately ask for the ball. Mora, meanwhile, gives Mexico a different kind of spark. Every time he receives the ball between the lines, there is a feeling that something can happen. He sees passes early and gives El Tri another route into the final third.
The question is whether Aguirre would start both together or protect one of them within a more experienced midfield.
Against Czechia, there may be more space than there was against South Korea, but also more aerial duels and second balls. That balance could determine how bold Aguirre is willing to be.
Czechia are still playing for their World Cup lives
Mexico may already be through, but Czechia have no reason to treat this match lightly. That is what makes them dangerous. A team that needs a result is often willing to take risks that a more comfortable side would avoid. Czechia enter the final group match knowing that their tournament still has a pulse, and that changes the rhythm of the game.
This is also a different test from South Korea. South Korea asked Mexico to defend speed. Czechia can ask a more physical question. Patrik Schick gives them a clear attacking reference point, Tomáš Souček is dangerous around second balls and set pieces, and Adam Hložek can provide movement around the box.
For Mexico, the challenge will be not to play Czechia's game. Aguirre's side have shown they can defend with organization, but they must also be cleaner with the ball. If Mexico spend too much time defending crosses and clearing long balls, the match can become uncomfortable. If El Tri can move Czechia from side to side, attack the space behind their midfield and avoid unnecessary fouls, then the game can become another lesson in control.
El Tri will keep their defensive shape
If there is one thing Aguirre will not abandon, it is the defensive structure that has carried Mexico through the first two matches. Without the ball, El Tri have often settled into a 5-4-1, with the wingbacks dropping deep and the midfield line protecting the central lanes. It is not always pretty, but it has worked.
Against South Korea, Mexico spent long stretches without the ball and did not lose their shape. Aguirre made that point afterward, saying the team showed maturity and did not fall apart the way they had in certain moments against South Africa . That is the kind of growth managers value in tournament football, not because it produces highlights, but because it wins games when the margin is small.
The next step is knowing when to come out of that shell. At Estadio Azteca, with the crowd pushing Mexico forward, there will be moments when El Tri must be more proactive. The 5-4-1 can protect a lead, but it cannot become an excuse to sit too deep.
Mexico have to defend with the same patience and then turn those recoveries into longer possessions. That is where players like Álvaro Fidalgo and Raúl Jiménez become important.
Roberto Alvarado , who has been instrumental in making the 5-4-1 work, could receive a rest ahead of the Round of 32. If that happens, Aguirre will need an alternative who can give Mexico similar defensive discipline without dulling the attack. That decision may reveal how much trust he has in the rest of his squad.
Is Edson Álvarez now Johan Vásquez's center-back partner?
Edson Álvarez's performance against South Korea gave Aguirre something to think about. Forced into central defense, Álvarez looked comfortable in a role that suited his leadership. His goal-line clearance on Son Heung-min , even if the play was later flagged, captured the kind of instinct he brings to the back line.
The numbers backed up the performance. Álvarez completed 71 of his 77 passes, a 92% success rate, including a perfect 59-for-59 in his own half. Against a South Korea side that pressed in moments and looked to attack space quickly, Álvarez rarely gave the ball away in areas that could expose El Tri. He was less adventurous in the opposition half, completing 12 of 18 passes there, but that also spoke to the nature of his role: Keep Mexico clean and avoid feeding South Korea's transitions.
Defensively, he was just as involved. Álvarez finished with 10 defensive contributions, won both of his tackles, made two interceptions, added six clearances and recovered the ball five times. He also won three of his four ground duels and both of his aerial duels, numbers that show how naturally he handled the physical side of the position.
The question now is whether that was an emergency solution or the beginning of something more permanent. Álvarez is still one of Mexico's most important midfielders, but using him as a center back gives Aguirre a different structure. Czechia are the perfect opponent against whom to test the idea because they will demand control in the box and comfort under pressure.
With César Montes now available, Aguirre has a decision to make. Returning Montes to the XI would be the natural move, but Álvarez has given him a reason to think twice. In a tournament in which Mexico have built their confidence from the back, that is not a small thing.
