We are obliged to give the fans something to cheer about: Javier Aguirre

▲ The Basque looked uncomfortable ahead of his final test on the road to the Gold Cup. Photo @miseleccionmx

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, p. a11

Javier Aguirre, the Mexican national team's technical director, declined to comment on the protests in Los Angeles, California, following the raids of undocumented immigrants since Donald Trump took office. Although images of people waving the Mexican flag are circulating on major US television channels, the Basque national team focused its responses yesterday on the friendly match against Turkey in North Carolina, in a press conference in which it appeared uncomfortable and somewhat annoyed ahead of its final test in the Gold Cup.

"I'm not a spokesperson for the Mexicans; I'm the coach of the national soccer team. This is a sports issue. We have a match against Turkey, and I have no grounds to offer an opinion. All I know is from what I see on television. I need information ," he argued at the start of a round of questions that tried to steer him away from sports-related issues. "Anywhere in the world, when you're a migrant, you leave behind a part of your heart and your life. We have an obligation to give the fans joy, to make them feel represented by any delegation, not just a sports one ."

Absence of fans

The arrival of the Tricolor squad on Sunday to Chapel Hill, the municipality where their team hotel is located, was devoid of fans. The players got off the bus that took them to the entrance of the complex, without any security detail protecting their steps. Aguirre noted that hours later the situation was different. "Do you know what time the fans arrived today (yesterday)? At five in the morning. What does it have to do with there being no fans?" he questioned, immediately reiterating that he is an apolitical man and that without information I can confuse people .

Regarding the match at the University of North Carolina, the national team coach emphasized the tasks assigned to him after the 4-2 thrashing of Switzerland, in the first of two practices before the start of the Gold Cup, to be held from June 14 to July 6. "The idea is to defend better. I don't want to see those mistakes again on the field ," he warned. "My obligation is to present a team that does its best job possible and that the people at home feel represented. We play every game like a final ."

In Mexico's starting XI, three players have been confirmed by the coaching staff: goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón, Jesús Gallardo, and César Montes, who left the match against Switzerland due to a serious head clash with Mateo Chávez. Montes is ready to play; Johan Vásquez did not make it , Vasco del Río announced, referring to the current Genoa defender's absence due to injury. Turkey, their current opponent and eliminated in the quarterfinals of the last European Championship by the Netherlands, defeated the United States 2-1 on Saturday in a friendly match held in Connecticut.

AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, p. a11

Miami. With an unprecedented billion-dollar prize pool and a star-studded lineup, the new FIFA Club World Cup has all the ingredients to become a monumental event.

Inspired by the World Cup, the tournament will bring together 32 teams from all continents between June 14 and July 13 in the United States to crown a world champion. Mexico will be represented by Pachuca and Monterrey, which has a new coach, Spaniard Domènec Torrent.

With its ambitious format, the tournament has faced criticism and skepticism from the moment FIFA President Gianni Infantino began to float the idea.

In an increasingly crowded football calendar, many believe this World Cup is forced into the calendar and doubt whether it will become a regular fixture.

Player representatives, such as the global union FIFPRO, have warned that an already excessive workload for footballers is increasing.

Players will have to perform at the end of an 11-month season, with little prospect of getting enough rest before the following season starts , FIFPRO warned when FIFA formally announced the 2023 tournament.

Another big question mark is how the team will be received by fans in the United States, a country with little football tradition that has been entrusted with hosting major international tournaments, such as the 2024 Copa América and, especially, the 2026 World Cup (with Mexico and Canada).

Large crowds are expected for the qualifying matches, with top European clubs potentially clashing with Latin American powerhouses, but it remains to be seen how the box office will perform for group stage matches featuring lesser-known representatives from Asia, North America, and Africa.

Matches like the one on June 17 in Orlando, Florida, between South Korea's Ulsan HD and South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns will certainly require the full power of American marketing to fill the stands.

FIFA is confident that with the DAZN streaming platform offering the tournament for free and the appeal of the club and player brands, fans around the world will be captivated by the new competition.

"We're talking about something never seen before, which will bring the magic of a national team World Cup to the club level ," Infantino predicted.

This tournament will be the beginning of something historic, something that will change our sport for the better and for all future generations, who will come to love it as we do , he added.

In an era where players generate as much traction as clubs, the presence of stars like Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappé should ensure a constant spectacle for television and social media.

Twelve of Europe's 32 teams, including the recent Champions League winner, Paris Saint-Germain; the continent's most successful club, Real Madrid; Premier League powerhouses Manchester City and Chelsea; and German giants Bayern Munich.

The six South American teams are comprised of four Brazilian teams, including the reigning Copa Libertadores champions Botafogo and their Rio rivals Flamengo, along with Argentina's two most iconic clubs, River Plate and Boca Juniors.

Adding to the local interest, three MLS teams will compete: Los Angeles FC, the Seattle Sounders, and Messi's Inter Miami. Pachuca and Monterrey will also participate, with strong support from their northern neighbor.

Four clubs represent Africa, including Egypt's Al Ahly, which will open the tournament against Messi's Inter on June 14 in Miami, while the quartet representing Asia includes Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal.

Amid doubts about the teams' commitment at this point in the season, FIFA announced that the tournament will distribute record prize money of nearly $1 billion.

This prize pool is divided between participation fees, rewards for those who make it to the final rounds, and a solidarity mechanism for club football around the world.

The first winner of this edition would pocket up to 125 million euros. FIFA plans for this format to be held every four years, but everything could change.

▲ The three-time world junior medalist will seek a spot on the senior team. Photo @Argumedo-COM_Mexico

Adriana Díaz Reyes

La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, p. a12

At 17 years old, Camila Argumedo has become the new star to watch in artistic swimming. Following the retirements of Nuria Diosdado and Jessica Sobrino, leaders of the national team, the athlete from the State of Mexico is seeking a spot in the senior category, backed by her three medals at junior world championships and the four golds she won at the Pan American Aquatics Championships in Medellín, Colombia.

My main goal is to make it to the first team. I was able to watch their participation in Paris 2024 on television, and I'd like to live that dream in Los Angeles 2028. There are many historic moments to build on in the sport , he commented.

Argumedo began his love affair with the sport when he was 7 years old. Under the guidance of former Olympic competitor Ariadna Medina (Atlanta 1996), he unleashed his potential in the pool, eventually reaching the junior national team where he became a multi-medallist.

"Everything I've worked for so far has been worth it, and I'm satisfied with what I've achieved. I think I've grown a lot athletically since I began competing in the National Olympics and until my participation in the Junior World Championships. My dream is to become an Olympic selection, attend the World Championships in Singapore, and soon, the Junior Pan American Games in Asunción ," she explained.

While continuing her studies, the young ondine is trying to learn about the changes in the qualification rules that will be implemented for the discipline this year.

Artistic swimming isn't a sport that stays static; the scoring for each exercise changes with each cycle, and we need to be vigilant in order to make the necessary modifications to our routines. I'm currently training to compete in team and duet competitions.

In the Olympic cycle leading up to Paris 2024, the members of the senior team had to sell products and find sponsors to fund their training trips. The road to Los Angeles 2028 appears smoother, mainly due to the formation of the Mexican Artistic Swimming Federation. One of the members of the new association will be Central American and regional multi-medalist Nuria Diosdado.

I have the quality of being persistent, and if I fight for what I want, I'll achieve it. In my mind, nothing is impossible; everything takes time, but you have to put in the dedication and effort to make your dreams come true.

Mexico was the only Latin American country in the artistic swimming finals in Paris.

Their result at the summer competition was the best in history (7). Our country's first participation was in Atlanta 1996, and the team finished in eighth place.

Since January, the senior team has added new members and made changes to some events, such as the mixed duet.

In the coming months, Camila will look to maintain her upward trend and fight for a spot on the team.

The World Aquatics Championships will be held in Singapore from July 11 to August 3, while the Junior Pan American Games will be held in Asunción, Paraguay, from July 11 to 20.

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, p. a12

A few days after being eliminated in the first round of the French Open and the second round of the Croatia Challenger , Mexican tennis player Renata Zarazúa returned to the court with a victory at the WTA 125 tournament in Grado, Italy.

In a match that lasted nearly three hours, the 74th- ranked player won 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 to advance to the round of 16 and assert her status as the tournament's top seed.

Zarazúa, 27, is slowly regaining her form this season after battling three knee surgeries and an arthritis problem. After climbing the WTA rankings, the Mexican has had the opportunity to compete in the main draws of Grand Slam tournaments, such as Indian Wells and the Miami Open, among others.

2024 was the best year of his career, reaching his career-high ranking of 51st in the world.

The Mexican tennis player's next match will not be easy, as she will face Czech Tereza Valentova, who put on a great performance against Coco Gauff at Roland Garros.

The women's branch returns to Queen's

After a 52-year absence, the women's tennis circuit returned to the grass at Queen's Court, the iconic London tournament that serves as a warm-up for Wimbledon, with local star Emma Raducanu hailed as a queen on the first day yesterday.

The tournament, which was mixed until 1973, was now reserved for men only, while the women's circuit found another location to settle in Eastbourne, on the south coast of England.

The British Lawn Tennis Association recently changed its mind. Its goal is to restore visibility to the women's circuit at the start of the grass-court season, a week before the men's tournament.

The news was not well received by the men's tour, according to several reports in the British press. Some participants reportedly expressed concern about the condition of the courts.

The organizers had to work hard to defuse any possible controversy. They also managed the last-minute withdrawal of two of the participating stars, Japan's Naomi Osaka (52) and American Jessica Pegula (number 3).

In yesterday's results, spectators queued for an hour to watch Raducanu triumph alongside fellow Briton Katie Boulter in the first round of the doubles tournament.

With information from AFP

▲ Photo AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, p. a12

Jonathan Milan of the Lidl-Trek team won the second stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné, finishing in Issoire (central France). Struggling during a rough stretch of the route, the Italian sprinter was helped by his teammates to maintain contact with the main pack and easily won.