Paunović: Mexico Has 'Everything' to Make History at 2026 World Cup

Veljko Paunović, who previously coached Chivas to the Clausura 2023 final, expressed strong confidence in the Mexican national team's ability to achieve historic success at the 2026 World Cup. Having worked extensively with Mexican players, he asserts that the team possesses all the necessary elements to perform exceptionally on the global stage.

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I am convinced, I said it when I was here, my career here in Mexico, there are all the incentives for it to happen, there is a tremendous culture, passion, precision and necessary passion, for the national team to bear fruit with work.

Paunović highlighted Mexico's "tremendous culture, passion, and precision" as vital components for the national team's success. He believes that with dedicated work, the squad can yield significant results. The Serbian strategist also pointed to the advantage of playing on home soil in 2026, emphasizing that this, combined with sufficient "raw material" among the players, provides a solid foundation for a strong performance.

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There is a forged identity, there is a lot of raw material, plus playing at home, it is a great advantage, as long as public opinion supports the national team, that is what fails at times.

However, Paunović also stressed the importance of public support, noting that it sometimes falters. He believes the team has more than enough talent to compete at the highest level and aims to be among the top eight teams in the tournament. Paunović, who also praised the current national team coach, is convinced that Mexico can achieve a significant World Cup milestone.

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As a fan and a football person, I think they have more than enough to be there. I trust the National Team a lot, they have a great coach, of course they can fulfill an important challenge, a historic World Cup.