In the middle of the final stretch of the season, coach Javier Aguirre demanded the immediate presence of those called up at the rally for the friendly La Tri. If they did not do so, the players would not be called up for the World Cup
A little more than a month before the start of the 2026 World Cup, the Mexican national team is going through a strong conflict with the clubs of the Liga MX after a decisive decision by their coach, Javier Aguirre.The coach demanded that all the players called up immediately show up for the rally, under the threat of being left out of the World
Cup.
The measure was made official through a statement in which it was confirmed that the players mentioned must join the Mexico City High Performance Center to prepare for the friendly matches against Ghana (22/5), Australia (30/5) and Serbia (4/6). “All players must report to the High Performance Center. On instructions from the coaching staff, the player who does not attend the rally today will be left out of the World Cup,” the federation warned
. The press release from the Mexican National Team
This ultimatum generated strong unrest among clubs, as several teams are in the middle of the playoffs of the local tournament and would be forced to give up their main figures at a key moment in
the season.
One of the sources of conflict is with Chivas de Guadalajara, which has several players on the preliminary list, such as Raúl Rangel, Luis Romo, Roberto “Piocchio” Alvarado and Armando González, in the middle of their quarter-final series against Tigres. The club is not willing to release all of its players under these conditions.
The tension was further increased by a special permit granted to Toluca, which is competing in the semifinals of the Concachampions and will be able to retain its players, which generated criticism from the rest of the institutions for unequal treatment.
With this scenario, the relationship between the Tri and the clubs is going through a delicate moment. While Aguirre seeks to ensure the best possible preparation for the World Cup that will be played in their territory, together with the United States and Canada, the teams defend their sporting interests in the final stretch of the
