Aguirre: Mexico has what it takes for a great World Cup day against South Africa

Mexico's national football team coach, Javier Aguirre, expressed confidence that his squad possesses the necessary conditions for a successful World Cup debut against South Africa. "The team has grown, and the stage is set for a good start to the World Cup. It can be a great day for us, with respect to the rival," Aguirre stated at a press conference held at the Estadio Azteca.

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The team has grown, and the stage is set for a good start to the World Cup. It can be a great day for us, with respect to the rival.

Aguirre acknowledged the quality of the South African team, recalling their 1-1 draw in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup. He specifically mentioned South African forward Relebohile Mokofeng, a 21-year-old player from Orlando Pirates, as someone with significant talent who is likely to move to Europe soon. "I have a lot of respect for the manager, (Hugo) Broos, who has given structure to a team with good players," Aguirre added.

Addressing Mexico's status as favorites, Aguirre showed indifference, asserting that such labels would not influence the game. "Favorites or not, it doesn't matter. We had enough time to prepare adequately; players recovering from injuries and surgeries lacked rhythm, but now they are doing well both physically and mentally," he observed.

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I have a lot of respect for the manager, (Hugo) Broos, who has given structure to a team with good players. I really like Relebohile Mokofeng; he has talent and will soon go to Europe.

When questioned about Mexico's seven-match winless streak in World Cup opening games, Aguirre admitted he was unaware of the statistic but vowed to change it. "Tomorrow we have to break that statistic; it's a good piece of information, I will share it with the guys. It will be one more reason to win," he declared. He also conveyed his personal and professional satisfaction with his long involvement in high-level football, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to manage in a World Cup hosted in Mexico.

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Favorites or not, it doesn't matter. We had enough time to prepare adequately; players recovering from injuries and surgeries lacked rhythm, but now they are doing well both physically and mentally.

Aguirre remained non-committal about his starting lineup but assured that he had no doubts about who would play. "I haven't spoken with them about the starting eleven, all 26 players are excited, and any one of them can take the field and perform well," he insisted. He also made a brief comment about Spain, where he coached for 15 years, expressing his fondness for the country and its people, and acknowledging Spain as a World Cup favorite.

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Tomorrow we have to break that statistic; it's a good piece of information, I will share it with the guys. It will be one more reason to win.