As we look back on Mexico’s 2025 Concacaf’s Nations League Championship run, the ever-present question of what this triumph means for Mexico’s legacy is being asked more and more. The truth is that this win means a great deal to the Mexican National Team as well as their coach Javier Aguirre. The win is especially important because prior to this, Mexico had never won the Nations League; the first three iterations of the tournament were won by the United States. It was not until their fourth attempt that Mexico was finally crowned champions. This first ever win by Mexico adds more to their illustrious legacy. It also gives a much-needed boost to their coach as well as the players, as they prepare themselves for the upcoming Gold Cup and World Cup.
At first glance, this latest trophy allows for Mexico to reinstate themselves as the giants in the region, but upon further examination one can see that this most recent success has some drawbacks. Mexico is not dominating the region the way they used to. Mexican coach Aguirre has deviated from the 4-3-3 style of play we are used to seeing from a Mexican side, which usually plays as the protagonist with plenty of the ball possession. Aguirre has instead opted to remove a midfielder from the starting eleven and replace him with a striker. While this tactical change has allowed for Mexico to make history and win their first ever Nations League Title, it rendered them a reactive team. Mexico in these last two games was overrun in the midfield, which allowed for the opposition to dictate play and have more ball possession. While Mexico is winning their matches and expanding their legacy, they are doing it in a style in contrast to the one they conveyed for so long.
In their victory over Panama in the Final, Mexico only managed 47 percent of the ball possession. In their Semi-final match against Canada, Mexico only managed 42 percent of the possession. In contrast to the two previous examples, Mexico managed 78 percent of the ball possession in their game against Honduras. One of the major differences in the team that faced Canada/Panama and the one that played against Honduras is the formation employed by Aguirre. The 4-4-2 that Aguirre trotted out in the final four of the Nations League exhibited a style of play akin to the likes of Costa Rica and U.S. teams of the past. Teams that were strong, pragmatic, and defensively sound, but without the level of talent that Mexico is accustomed to having. Aguirre’s Mexico has taken a page from these teams and found success in its usage, but this style of play runs in contrast to the dominating force that was the Mexico of old.
While winning the Concacaf Nations league expands the legacy of Mexico, the win also provides the team respite from an often times hostile fan base and press. As Mexico prepares itself for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, it will be vital for El Tri to come into this competition in the best of forms, which includes showing confidence. The success of the Nations League added to the legacy of the El Tri, but Mexico will have to continue this run of form into the Gold Cup, and all the way up until the World Cup next year. This victory is only one step in the right direction.
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