Aguirre: 'Two moments of carelessness cost us the World Cup'

Mexico's World Cup 2026 campaign came to a halt in the round of 16 after a defeat to England. Head coach Javier Aguirre refused to blame his players but pointed to two defensive lapses as the difference between staying and going home. “I can’t criticize my players. That’s football. We made mistakes in the goals we conceded, but it happens. We have to accept it. England is a fantastic side, and we gave everything we had. Two lapses in concentration inside 90 seconds ended our World Cup. That's how it is. At this level, you don’t get away with that. You make a mistake, and you get punished immediately. It hurts because those were poor errors, but the players should stay calm and remember they faced a great England team. I want to congratulate my squad for their effort throughout the tournament,” Aguirre said. England will next face Norway in the quarterfinals. The match is set for July 12 in Miami, kicking off at 00:00 local time.