Santiago Giménez Lauds Aguirre Before Honduras Clash

Santiago Giménez believes Javier Aguirre has “re-wired the dressing room” as Mexico prepare for Wednesday’s Gold Cup semifinal against Honduras at Levi’s Stadium, and the young striker insists his scoreless streak will not derail El Tri’s bid for back-to-back titles.

Santiago Giménez credits Aguirre for Mexico’s renewed identity

When Santiago Giménez first walked into the revamped national-team camp last month, he noticed an immediate change. “Coach Aguirre greeted everyone by name, from the kit man to the captains,” the Feyenoord forward revealed. “That simple gesture reminded us who we play for.” Giménez says the veteran coach’s blend of discipline and empathy has restored the collective hunger lost after last year’s World Cup disappointment. Evidence of that shift is clear: Mexico have conceded just once and scored nine times en route to the last four.

An old-school coach with a modern touch

Aguirre’s reputation for defensive structure is well established, yet his man-management has proven just as valuable. Players now arrive to tactical meetings ten minutes early; ​Bluetooth speakers blast regional music in the gym; family photos line the corridor to the pitch. According to Giménez, these small details forge “a locker room where everyone is seen.” The 24-year-old adds that the coach’s transparency—openly explaining selection choices—has quelled ego issues that plagued previous regimes.

Goal drought? Santiago Giménez shrugs off the noise

The striker’s last international goal came in the June friendly versus Cameroon, prompting headlines about a dry spell. “I’m not counting minutes; I’m counting chances,” he smiled during Monday’s media day. Analytic data backs his confidence: Giménez leads the tournament in expected goals without scoring, and only Canada’s Cyle Larin has registered more shots on target. With Honduras likely to sit deep, Mexico will rely on his movement between the center-backs to unlock space for wingers Hirving Lozano and Uriel Antuna.

Honduras scouting report

Los Catrachos upset Costa Rica in the quarter-finals thanks to Anthony Lozano’s clinical brace. Manager Diego Vásquez favors a 5-3-2 that morphs into a 3-4-3 in transition, and Honduras have won 60% of their aerial duels, the highest rate in the competition. Giménez acknowledges that statistic but points to Mexico’s pressing triggers: “If we force them wide early, our full-backs can squeeze the crosses, and our midfield wins the second ball. That’s when we’re lethal.”

Key battle: Giménez vs. Devron García

Devron García, Honduras’ imposing center-back, has cleared a tournament-leading 28 crosses. Santiago Giménez knows he must drag García out of position with diagonal runs, creating vacated lanes for late-arriving midfielders such as Edson Álvarez. Expect Aguirre to overload one flank, then switch quickly to isolate Giménez 1-v-1 in the air.

Historical edge favors El Tri

Mexico have won eight of the last ten competitive meetings with Honduras, scoring 18 times while conceding six. The sides last met in the 2023 Nations League, where a Giménez penalty decided the encounter. “Past matches don’t win future games,” Aguirre cautioned, but he conceded that a psychological edge can matter in knockout football.

Levi’s Stadium set for record crowd

Organizers anticipate over 68,000 fans, a near sell-out that will tilt heavily green. California’s sizable Mexican diaspora treated July’s quarter-final in Glendale like a home match, and the noise should again resemble Estadio Azteca. Giménez says he feeds off that energy: “You hear children chanting your name, and you realize why you suffered in training.”

What Aguirre changed tactically

While identity talk dominates headlines, on-field tweaks are equally decisive. Mexico now defend in a 4-4-2 mid-block, transforming into a 3-2-5 in possession with Álvarez dropping between center-backs. This fluidity frees Giménez to roam rather than serve as a static target. The striker credits repeating situational drills until muscle memory took over. “I know where Hirving will be on the third pass of a transition—no need to look,” he explained.

The path to back-to-back titles

Should El Tri dispatch Honduras, a final against either the United States or Panama awaits. A second consecutive Gold Cup would mark Mexico’s tenth overall and vindicate the federation’s decision to lure Aguirre back from Spanish club football. Giménez, who idolized Aguirre’s 2002 World Cup side, sees the opportunity as generational. “We can build a culture that lasts beyond this summer,” he insists.

Potential starting XI vs. Honduras

• GK: Guillermo Ochoa
• RB: Jorge Sánchez
• CB: César Montes
• CB: Johan Vásquez
• LB: Jesús Gallardo
• DM: Edson Álvarez
• CM: Luis Chávez
• CM: Erick Sánchez
• RW: Hirving Lozano
• ST: Santiago Giménez
• LW: Uriel Antuna

Santiago Giménez ready for the moment

The primary focus keyword, Santiago Giménez, echoes through Mexican media because he embodies the national side’s present and future. Whether he scores Wednesday or acts as the decoy that frees a teammate, his influence is undeniable. Aguirre summed it up: “Sometimes a striker’s best goal is the space he creates.”

Final whistle – our take

Aguirre has rekindled Mexico’s spirit without sacrificing tactical rigor, and Santiago Giménez stands to benefit most. Expect the forward to silence talk of droughts, either by finding the net or engineering the platform for others. If Honduras cannot disrupt Mexico’s midfield rotations, El Tri’s march to a tenth Gold Cup will continue.