Tata Martino leads Mexico to its great failure in the World Cup

Tata Martino questions the referee in the Mexico-Saudi Arabia match this Wednesday. José Méndez (EFE)

Mexico has gone back in time.

It has fallen in the first round of a World Cup, something that has not happened in 44 years.

They were left out despite giving the best game of three possible against Saudi Arabia.

They had the future in their hands, but the goals did not fall in clusters.

That 1-2 against the Arabs relieved, as if it were an x-ray, Mexican soccer: a lot of heart, drive and grit but only in moments of urgency.

The goalless draw against Poland and the heavy defeat against Argentina sentenced the Mexican participation led by Tata Martino, a coach who did not know how to make the generational change and is now seen as the public enemy of Mexico.

The blame falls not only on a Martino who, since 2019, did not know how to polish a Mexican team that was beginning to age.

He put aside the golden generation of Giovani Dos Santos, Carlos Vela and Javier

Hernández for various reasons: from low performance to conflicts with the group.

His employers of the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) asked him, at least, to qualify for the round of 16.

The Argentine could not do it.

Yon de Luisa, president of the FMF, also began his management in this World Cup cycle and is the other one indicated.

He promised that Mexican soccer would grow and it has shrunk.

El Tri had not passed the round since Argentina 1978 when they were thrashed by Tunisians, Germans and Poles.

They could not even with the best Hugo Sánchez.

Now, in 2022, Martino did not know how to manage the outbreak of great talents such as Alexis Vega (whom he changed at half time against the Arabs despite being incisive), Uriel Antuna, Carlos Rodríguez, César Montes, Santiago Giménez or Diego Lainez.

These last two he cut from his final list amid criticism.

In his place he took a fragile Raúl Jiménez who could not overcome more than half a year injured and who, with difficulties, played in all three of Mexico's games in Qatar.

He could not score a goal or generate a dangerous chance.

Raúl Jiménez, after the match with Saudi Arabia, where he played in the second half. Ricardo Mazalan (AP)

In the last minutes against Saudi Arabia, Martino noticed the last striker who had not played and could promise something.

Rogelio Funes Mori was asked by the coach, who asked him to switch from defending Argentina to Mexico.

He did it and he only played a couple of minutes, he tried, but he was dry.

Another bet from the former Barcelona coach that didn't work either.

The last blow to the fans was to see Guillermo Ochoa be a hero against Poland and a villain in the goal by the Arab Al Dawsari.

Mexico leaves Qatar with three goals against and only two in favor.

Other World Cups in which El Tri was humiliated occurred in Uruguay 1930 (with a difference of minus nine goals), Brazil 1950, Switzerland 1954, Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and England 1966. In other words, Qatar's performance is close to one of the worst in history when Mexican soccer was still flourishing.

The cycles of Germany 1974 and Italy 1990 do not count because the Mexicans did not even manage to qualify, in the first case, and in the second they were banned for cheating on the date of birth of their players.

De Luisa was put in office by the presidents of the Mexican clubs.

The deciding vote belonged to the owner of América, Emilio Azcárraga, also a boss of Televisa.

The former employee of the television station achieved leadership and his greatest achievement was managing the candidacy of Mexico, the US and Canada for the 2026 World Cup. On the field, there was little progress.

In fact, the only achievement during his tenure was that the under 23 team won the bronze medal in Tokyo 2020. Meanwhile, in the Mexican League, the wings of young people who have to be on the bench because in their clubs continue to be clipped up to nine foreign footballers can play.

Mikel Arriola, a former PRI official, takes charge of the MX League that looks to the US for the business with friendly tournaments.

Mexican soccer after Qatar's bump will have to meditate on its mistakes on the couch.

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