Miguel Herrera Says Rivalry With Argentina Exists Only for Mexico

Former Mexico national team coach Miguel “Piojo” Herrera says the perceived football rivalry with Argentina exists only from Mexico’s side, Infobae reported. Speaking to Rodrigo Rea’s YouTube channel, Herrera argued that the notion of a “derby” against Argentina has been fueled mainly by Mexican fans and media, driven by the ambition to beat one of the most successful national teams in the world.

According to Herrera, Argentina does not view Mexico as a direct rival, focusing instead on historic matchups against football powers like Brazil, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Spain. He stressed that for the rivalry to be mutual, Mexico would need to take major steps internationally, starting with reaching the semifinals of a World Cup — something it has never achieved.

“The desire to beat Argentina is ours; they don’t even look at us,” Herrera said, adding that Mexico remains a step below at the global level.

He also pointed out that Argentine stars share this view. Lionel Messi recently said he has never understood the hostility he felt from Mexican supporters during their 2022 World Cup clash in Lusail.