Chiaroscuro

Last update 6 April, 2024 por Alberto Llopis

It is hard to describe the feelings that caused the Mexican national team in his hobby before, during and after Mundial Rusia 2018.

While time has elapsed, one can not help but remember all the carousel of emotions experienced in competition, but at the end of the story, He had the same epilogue the last seven World Cups: Tricolor removed in knockout.

Hoy, and with the local tournament, Apertura 2018, more than half of its route, Balompédica back to the routine of our home fun, We try to review what happened with the team led by Juan Carlos Osorio.

Colombian coach always had the wind against, since he began to display his habit of performing rotations in their lineups. Los aficionados, and especially the sports media, they grabbed him of "shooting".

In order to "sell" sensationalism, It fell even degradation coach, what, although they may criticize its working methods, always he acted professionally and responsibly.

Además, since probed possible recruitment as coxswain Mexico, He knew not used to repeat formations between meetings and other. Curiously, when he decided to repeat an alignment, ya en Rusia, the team came down and sealed his fate mundialista.

Before that, their numbers backed him as one of the best Tri processes in its history (already dating back almost a century), and yet 0-7 against Chile in the Copa America Centenario 2016, y el 1-4 to Germany in the Confederations Cup 2017.

Even, It would also score as embarrassing result el 1-2 to Jamaica in Gold Cup semis 2017, it removed from a tournament where the Aztec computer normally fight or get the title. Just back from that event, "Mysterious hands" organized a "welcome" the most demeaning to Osorio, who were welcomed at the international airport Mexico City even children with appropriate signs of repudiation, He is "accompanied" by several reporters, that they put almost microphones and spotlights in his face as he walked toward the exit.

This time I commented on social networks this scene, besides being machined, I looked worthy of a banana republic, where he publicly repudiates more like a football coach for a lost or suffered elimination match, that a politician for stealing millions of pesos.

Colombian stoning that night was so obvious and ridiculous, which he appeared to have been orchestrated by a group of people, maybe the same management Mexican soccer (not dismissed at that time even politicians, interested distract public opinion in other subjects on days that the treasury had discovered embezzlement in several states of the Mexican Republic).

From then on the "hunt" was accentuated against Osorio. Some sensationalist voices in the media, as André Marin, They are heading toward him contemptuously and openly demanded his departure from the Aztec bench, and the arrival of Argentine Matias Almeyda, then strategist Chivas del Guadalajara (Champion League and Cup 2017, subsequently Monarch in Concachampions 2018).

For ardor of many, the player base backed death squad Colombian and publicly marked him as a great coach. A) Yes, There was no more to wait to assess the World Cup in their proper perspective the level of Mexican soccer after a comfortable tie (as it not occurred since the process to Germany 2006).

But the forecasts were not very optimistic: XX% of the fans believed in the opener against the Maanschaft be lost irretrievably, and not a few were expecting a goliza four or more touchdowns against. Few were those who publicly believe that fight would be given world champion. It was said that he probably would win South Korea and would have to contest the ticket to the second round against Sweden.

The latter thus ended up happening, more with a different background: el Tri unexpectedly triumphed over Germany, por 1-0, in a big game where Mexicans behaved at the height of the circumstances and goal Hirving "Chucky" Lozano They gave the bell Cup.

From the locker room tunnel exit to the court, to tears of Javier "Chicharito" Hernández when you hear the National Anthem,  through moments of Mexican rule, with a first-time tactics verging on perfection- until overwhelmed in the final minutes, the victory was obtained by "Osorio Boys" more from the emotional terrain that from the tactical.

Ante Korea It was won by 2-1, but low she noticed in the intensity of the game tricolor, Product surely the trust was facing a smaller rival the universal monarch. With six points on the second day, rating to knockout should be secured, plus the triumph of those Joachim Low about Sweden, in injury time, con un goal by Toni Kroos, "He turned" the situation and still better numeric performance powerhouses like Argentina or Spain, Mexico was so close to passing as to be removed.

Contra Suecia It seemed the curse of always fulfilled, where overconfidence takes its toll, and a lousy game, with a lapidary 0-3 en contra, y lo peor, no reactivity, He took us to face Brazil in the second round, who led the meeting at their own pace, knowing that at any moment it liquidated by their individualities. So it was, since neither the superb performance of Guillermo Ochoa could avoid another removal.

¿Qué pasó? What was missing?

After a promising start with two wins, everything fell apart and the World ended with two losses, with no goals for and five against, but mainly with the feeling that, Cups and other, He could have done more and Tricolor stood on the shore, with his usual chiaroscuro. Managers and players must make an examination of conscience about what happened in Russia and draw conclusions to avoid repeating old stories.