Mexico accepts boos after El Tri’s poor finish to 2025
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José de Jesus Ortiz, Founder & Editor in Chief
- November 19, 2025
Mexico closes 'bittersweet' year with 2-1 loss to Paraguay
SAN ANTONIO – Boos rained down on the Mexican men’s national soccer team soon after the final whistle Tuesday night at the Alamodome. The jeers probably would have been much worse, but the crowd was small compared to the usual support Mexico gets in Texas.
Nonetheless, the message was delivered clearly by the underwhelming crowd of 28,076. Mexican coach Javier Aguirre and his players accepted the jeers as an appropriate response. After closing out their 2025 schedule with a 2-1 loss to Paraguay, Aguirre conceded that El Tri has not lived up to expectations lately.
Mexico, which will co-host the 2026 World Cup with the United States and Canada, finished the year with two losses and four ties in its last six friendlies.
As has been the case lately, Mexico struggled in the final third. They were outshot 14-9. Mexico is winless since beating the United States in Houston to win the Concacaf Gold Cup. El Tri was outscored 9-4 over their last six games with a 4-0 loss to Colombia as the low point.
Mexico ‘fell short’
“The message to the fans is simply that we have failed them in this last semester,” Aguirre said. “It’s been a bittersweet year because we gave great satisfaction and then we fell short a little bit, or a lot. But I’d (tell fans to) simply keep supporting us. We’ll see you in January.”
With the 2026 World Cup set to start in June, Mexico hardly resembles the squad that won a Gold Cup title against the rival United States in July and a Concacaf Nations League final against Panama in March.
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“Personally we have to work,” Mexican midfielder Orbelin Pineda said. “I think the fans will be happy when we give positive results. We have to show that on the field. We will work so that when the World Cup starts it will be in our favor.
“I think all Mexicans will support each other on and off the pitch to feel like we’re at home. It’s a World Cup, and we will enjoy it as much as possible.”
The friendly was the final match of the year for Mexico and Paraguay. Pressure will surely mount for El Tri. Teen sensation Gilberto Mora created Mexico’s first scoring opportunity. He curled a beautiful free kick perilously toward the bottom corner at the near post in the 21st minute. Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill punched the ball away with a diving save.
Mexican captain Edson Alvarez wasted a tremendous opportunity in the 31st minute. The center back hit the right post from short distance, blowing what appeared to be an easy scoring chance. Paraguay took a 1-0 lead when Antonio Sanabria poked the ball into the back of the net as he and Mexican goalkeeper Luis Angel Malagon slid toward each other, disputing a 50-50 ball.
Malagon agonized on the turf in hopes of drawing a foul. After consulting with the VAR, referee Jon Freemon awarded Sanabria a goal.
Raul Jimenez ties it
Mexico responded immediately. Pineda broke free down the right side, cut into the 18-yard box and won position. He was knocked down from behind, prompting a penalty call.
Raul Jimenez converted the penalty kick with a cheeky shot into the lower right corner. Three minutes later, though, Paraguay regained the lead with a beautiful sequence that was capped with Damian Bodabilla’s header into the back of the net in the 56th minute.
“There was a sense that Mexico found strength from the goal against them,” Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro said. “But Paraguay put its chest forward. We said, ‘You aren’t going to advance.’ And we were able to find the (next) goal.”
Paraguay almost added two goals in the final minutes. Fortunately for El Tri, Malagon made a sensational save in the 88th minute to deny a breakaway goal. He made another save in stoppage time.
“Personally and as a group I think we’re a bit frustrated because the year ends for national team games, and we couldn’t get a win,” Mexican midfielder Roberto Alvarado said. “But also we will try to reflect what we’ve been unable to do in these last games and what has been missing.”
José de Jesus Ortiz
Founder & Editor in Chief
Award-winning writer Jose de Jesus Ortiz, a former lead sports columnist at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, has covered Major League Baseball since 1997 in Los Angeles, St. Petersburg, New York and Houston. He was the first Latino to serve as president of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
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