SOCCER: Aguirre downplays milestone after Mexico top World Cup group for first time since 2002

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Guadalajara — Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre downplayed his team’s milestone after a 1-0 victory over South Korea on Thursday, saying that topping a World Cup group is not the true measure of success.

The co-hosts became the first team to secure a place in the knockout stage and clinched first place in Group A with the win in Guadalajara, matching a feat achieved during Aguirre’s 2002 campaign.

“I didn’t know that statistic,” Aguirre said. “It’s anecdotal. It was anecdotal in 2002 and it’s anecdotal now because what matters in the end is the final position.”

The result guarantees Mexico at least one knockout-stage match in Mexico City, a prospect Aguirre welcomed as his team looks to build momentum in front of home supporters.

“There’s nothing like playing at home, it’s priceless,” he said. “The Mexico factor is hugely important.”

Mexico showed a nervous performance in their opening match against South Africa, but Aguirre said the team had taken important lessons from that game.

“Today we learned from our mistakes,” he said. “We weren’t spectacular, but we played a good match. That speaks to the team’s maturity. We were much more patient.”

When asked what separates this squad from previous Mexico teams he has managed, the 67-year-old coach said with a smile, “This team has a calmer coach.”

He added humorously that he has become less strict over the years, joking about no longer battling issues such as players using mobile phones and being less rigid than in his earlier World Cup tenures in 2002 and 2010.

“I’m much more relaxed and composed now,” he said. “Age helps. Two granddaughters help.”

Despite securing home advantage for the next round, Aguirre stressed the importance of maintaining focus ahead of their final group match against the Czech Republic.

However, he also expressed belief in the team’s potential moving forward.

“I want to convince my players that we can get into the top 10 in the world,” he said. “That would be something very special for us.” -Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Reuters