Men's football

Representing Mexico (as manager)
CONCACAF Nations League
Winner	2025 United States
Copa América
Runner-up	2001 Colombia
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Winner	2009 United States
Winner	2025 United States–Canada

*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Javier Aguirre Onaindía (born 1 December 1958) is a famous Mexican football manager and former player. People often call him El Vasco, which means "The Basque". He used to play as a midfielder and is now the manager of the Mexico national team.

Aguirre played for Mexico in the 1986 World Cup. He has managed the Mexican team three times. He led them to the World Cup in 2002 and 2010. He also helped Mexico win two CONCACAF Gold Cup titles in 2009 and 2025. He also led them to the final of the 2001 Copa América. Besides Mexico, he has managed national teams like Japan and Egypt.

At the club level, Aguirre has managed six teams in Spain's top league, La Liga. He helped Osasuna finish fourth in 2006 and Atlético Madrid finish fourth in 2008. He also led Atlético and Mallorca to the Copa del Rey finals. In 2021, he won the CONCACAF Champions League with Monterrey.

About Javier Aguirre

Javier Aguirre was born in Mexico City on 1 December 1958. His nickname El Vasco comes from his parents, who were both from the Basque Country in Spain. His mother was from Guernica and his father from Ispaster. They moved to Mexico in 1950. Having a Spanish passport helped his career because it made it easier to play in Europe. He gave his three sons Basque names: Iker, Ander, and Iñaki.

Javier Aguirre as a Player

Club Teams

Aguirre started his professional football career with Club América. After a short time with the Los Angeles Aztecs, he returned to Club América. During his second time there, he became a key player and helped the team win the league championship in the 1983–84 season. He even scored a goal in the final game.

Later, he moved to Atlante for two years. Then, he went to Spain to play for Osasuna. His time in Spain was cut short because of an injury. After a year, he came back to Mexico and joined Guadalajara. He played over 100 games for Guadalajara before he stopped playing football professionally.

Playing for Mexico

Javier Aguirre played for the Mexican national team 59 times between 1983 and 1992, scoring 13 goals. He played in the FIFA World Cup when it was held in Mexico in 1986. In a quarter-final game against West Germany, he was sent off the field. This meant he had to leave the game early. Mexico lost that game after a penalty shootout. He was the first Mexican player to be sent off in a World Cup match.

Javier Aguirre as a Manager

Early Coaching Years

After he stopped playing, Aguirre became a coach. He first managed Atlante and then Pachuca. With Pachuca, he won his first championship as a manager, the Invierno 1999 title.

First Time Managing Mexico

On 22 June 2001, Aguirre became the manager of the Mexico national team. The team was struggling in their World Cup qualifying group. In his first game, Mexico beat their rivals, the United States. Mexico then qualified for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

In July 2001, Aguirre led Mexico in the 2001 Copa América tournament. They beat strong teams like Brazil and Uruguay before losing in the final to the host country, Colombia. A year later, at the 2002 World Cup, his team won their group. However, they lost to the United States in the Round of 16.

Coaching Osasuna

On 6 June 2002, while still with Mexico at the World Cup, Aguirre joined La Liga club Osasuna in Spain. He had played for this club before. In his first season, the team reached the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, a major cup competition.

In 2004–05, Aguirre led Osasuna to the cup final, where they lost to Real Betis. In the next league season, 2005–06, Osasuna finished in fourth place. This was their best finish ever and allowed them to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time.

Coaching Atlético Madrid

On 24 May 2006, Aguirre signed a contract to manage Atlético Madrid. After helping the team finish fourth in 2008 and qualify for the Champions League, he extended his contract. However, he was later dismissed on 2 February 2009, after a difficult period for the team.

Second Time Managing Mexico

On 3 April 2009, Aguirre was again chosen to manage the Mexico national team. He said his goal was to help the team play better together. His first game was a loss, but they quickly bounced back with a win.

During the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Aguirre was involved in an incident where he kicked a Panamanian player. He was suspended for three games. On 26 July 2009, Aguirre led Mexico to win their fifth Gold Cup title. They beat the United States in the final. He then helped Mexico qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

On 30 June 2010, Aguirre resigned as Mexico's coach after the team did not reach the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Mexico finished second in their group but lost to Argentina in the Round of 16.

Coaching Real Zaragoza

On 17 November 2010, Aguirre became the manager of Real Zaragoza in Spain. He was relieved of his duties on 29 December 2011, when the club was in danger of being relegated.

Coaching Espanyol

Aguirre managing Espanyol in December 2013

On 28 November 2012, Aguirre was appointed manager of Espanyol. The team was at the bottom of the La Liga table at the time. He left the club on 16 May 2014.

Coaching Japan

In August 2014, Aguirre became the new manager of the Japan national team. At the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, Japan won all their group matches without letting in any goals. However, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by the United Arab Emirates. On 3 February 2015, the Japan Football Association ended Aguirre's contract.

Coaching Al-Wahda

On 18 June 2015, Aguirre was hired as the new manager of Al-Wahda FC in the United Arab Emirates. On 21 May 2017, after leading Al-Wahda to win the President's Cup, Aguirre decided to step down as manager.

Coaching Egypt

In August 2018, Aguirre was appointed manager of the Egyptian national team. During the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, which Egypt hosted, the team was eliminated in the Round of 16 by South Africa. Because of this disappointing result, Aguirre and his staff were dismissed.

Coaching Leganés

In November 2019, Aguirre returned to La Liga to manage Leganés. He stepped down in July 2020 after the club was relegated from the top league on the last day of the season.

Coaching Monterrey

In December 2020, Aguirre returned to Liga MX in Mexico, signing a two-year deal with Monterrey. On 28 October 2021, Aguirre led Monterrey to win the CONCACAF Champions League title. They defeated América 1–0 in the final. However, he was dismissed on 26 February 2022, after a series of difficult results.

Coaching Mallorca

On 24 March 2022, Aguirre returned to La Liga to manage Mallorca. The team was close to the relegation zone. Mallorca managed to avoid relegation on the very last day of the season.

Aguirre led Mallorca to the Copa del Rey final. They lost to Athletic Bilbao in a penalty shootout after the game ended in a 1-1 draw. On 22 May 2024, Aguirre and Mallorca decided to part ways.

Third Time Managing Mexico

On 22 July 2024, the Mexican Football Federation announced that Aguirre would be the new manager of the national team for a third time.

In November 2024, after a game against Honduras, Aguirre was hit by an object from the crowd. He downplayed the incident and focused on congratulating the winning team. The Mexican Football Federation and CONCACAF condemned the incident and called for an investigation.

In March 2025, Aguirre helped Mexico win its first Nations League title, defeating Panama 2-1 in the final. In July 2025, Aguirre won his second Gold Cup after Mexico defeated their rivals, the United States, 2-1 in the final.

Managerial Statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team	Nat	From	To	Record								Ref
Team	Nat	From	To	G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %	Ref
Atlante		1 February 1996	30 June 1996	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017	−5	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.18000018.18
Pachuca		10 September 1998	20 June 2001	&&&&&&&&&&&&0110.&&&&&0110	&&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044	&&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027	&&&&&&&&&&&&&039.&&&&&039	&&&&&&&&&&&&0153.&&&&&0153	&&&&&&&&&&&&0149.&&&&&0149	+4	&&&&&&&&&&&&&040.&&&&&040.00
Mexico		21 June 2001	1 July 2002	&&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027	&&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&040.&&&&&040	&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019	+21	&&&&&&&&&&&&&062.96000062.96
Osasuna		1 July 2002	19 May 2006	&&&&&&&&&&&&0177.&&&&&0177	&&&&&&&&&&&&&066.&&&&&066	&&&&&&&&&&&&&049.&&&&&049	&&&&&&&&&&&&&062.&&&&&062	&&&&&&&&&&&&0207.&&&&&0207	&&&&&&&&&&&&0221.&&&&&0221	−14	&&&&&&&&&&&&&037.29000037.29
Atlético Madrid		23 May 2006	2 February 2009	&&&&&&&&&&&&0131.&&&&&0131	&&&&&&&&&&&&&061.&&&&&061	&&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031	&&&&&&&&&&&&&039.&&&&&039	&&&&&&&&&&&&0206.&&&&&0206	&&&&&&&&&&&&0147.&&&&&0147	+59	&&&&&&&&&&&&&046.56000046.56
Mexico		3 April 2009	30 June 2010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032	&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&060.&&&&&060	&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024	+36	&&&&&&&&&&&&&059.38000059.38
Zaragoza		18 November 2010	29 December 2011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&045.&&&&&045	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022	&&&&&&&&&&&&&043.&&&&&043	&&&&&&&&&&&&&068.&&&&&068	−25	&&&&&&&&&&&&&028.89000028.89
Espanyol		28 November 2012	27 May 2014	&&&&&&&&&&&&&069.&&&&&069	&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&029.&&&&&029	&&&&&&&&&&&&&079.&&&&&079	&&&&&&&&&&&&&088.&&&&&088	−9	&&&&&&&&&&&&&031.88000031.88
Japan		24 July 2014	2 February 2015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	+9	&&&&&&&&&&&&&060.&&&&&060.00
Al-Wahda		18 June 2015	20 May 2017	&&&&&&&&&&&&&078.&&&&&078	&&&&&&&&&&&&&034.&&&&&034	&&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021	&&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023	&&&&&&&&&&&&0154.&&&&&0154	&&&&&&&&&&&&0108.&&&&&0108	+46	&&&&&&&&&&&&&043.59000043.59
Egypt		1 August 2018	7 July 2019	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	+18	&&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075.00
Leganés		4 November 2019	20 July 2020	&&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030	&&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036	−6	&&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030.00
Monterrey		7 December 2020	26 February 2022	&&&&&&&&&&&&&053.&&&&&053	&&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023	&&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075	&&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044	+31	&&&&&&&&&&&&&043.40000043.40
Mallorca		24 March 2022	22 May 2024	&&&&&&&&&&&&&097.&&&&&097	&&&&&&&&&&&&&034.&&&&&034	&&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028	&&&&&&&&&&&&&035.&&&&&035	&&&&&&&&&&&&0103.&&&&&0103	&&&&&&&&&&&&0106.&&&&&0106	−3	&&&&&&&&&&&&&035.&5000035.05
Mexico		22 July 2024	Present	&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	+16	&&&&&&&&&&&&&073.33000073.33
Career Total				&&&&&&&&&&&&0897.&&&&&0897	&&&&&&&&&&&&0370.&&&&&0370	&&&&&&&&&&&&0231.&&&&&0231	&&&&&&&&&&&&0296.&&&&&0296	&&&&&&&&&&&01232.&&&&&01,232	&&&&&&&&&&&01054.&&&&&01,054	+178	&&&&&&&&&&&&&041.25000041.25	—

Honours and Achievements

As a Player

América

Mexican Primera División: 1983–84

As a Manager

Pachuca

Mexican Primera División: Invierno 1999

Osasuna

Copa del Rey runner-up: 2004–05

Al-Wahda

UAE President's Cup: 2016–17
UAE League Cup: 2015–16

Monterrey

CONCACAF Champions League: 2021

Mallorca

Copa del Rey runner-up: 2023–24

Mexico

CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2009, 2025
CONCACAF Nations League: 2024–25
Copa América runner-up: 2001

Individual Awards

IFFHS CONCACAF Best Club Manager: 2021
IFFHS CONCACAF Best XI Manager: 2021

Javier Aguirre facts for kids

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