Everything came together in Mexico’s scoreless draw against Uruguay for the match to paint the perfect picture of the disconnect that exists between El Tri and fans. After Mexico’s stars blasted the behavior of supporters at the Estadio Corona, manager Javier Aguirre answered by urging his players to develop “thick skin.”
Star forward Raúl Jiménez eviscerated Mexican fans after the draw vs. Uruguay, saying, “That’s what’s really sad. Maybe that’s why they always take us to the United States.” Meanwhile, El Tri captain Edson Álvarez was captured walking off the pitch sarcastically saying, “How nice it is to be at home.”
Fans at the Estadio Corona booed and directed insults towards their own players and manager all night prompting the reaction. However, prior to Mexico’s clash against Paraguay, Aguirre detailed what he expects from his players in the face of adversity and public backlash.
“He that doesn’t accept criticism, that isn’t prepared to be submitted to public judgment, is useless for this [being on the national team],” Aguirre said. “That’s the way I see it.”
“Like I tell my players, you can deceive your manager, your family even, your agent, the fans, the media … but you can’t [deceive] the mirror.”
“We need emotional stability, we need thick-skin, we need peace of mind. We need to be exemplary for our fans. We need to represent them and be an example to them, both the technical staff and the players.”
