Mexico hope a month of isolation can rekindle the magic of the 1986 World Cup
Summary
Mexico’s national soccer team is preparing for the 2026 World Cup, which will be partly hosted in Mexico, by isolating the players together for 30 days before the tournament. This approach is inspired by a similar training method used in 1986, when the team reached the World Cup quarter-finals on home soil after enduring tough conditions together on a high mountain.Key Facts
- In 1986, Mexico’s players trained together on La Malinche mountain to build endurance and team spirit before the World Cup.
- That year, Mexico reached the World Cup quarter-finals, their best result when playing at home.
- For the 2026 World Cup, Mexico is again isolating players from their clubs for 30 days to prepare.
- This decision caused some controversy because it affected the Liga MX playoffs and disappointed club fans.
- Javier Aguirre, Mexico’s current coach, was a player on the 1986 team and supports this method.
- The players spent time training at Mexico City’s High-Performance Center during the isolation.
- Former coach Bora Milutinović believes that spending time together helped the 1986 team succeed.
- Critics say players get better preparation by playing competitive matches in the playoffs rather than resting.
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