The best group phase in World Cup's history, that's what Miguel Herrera could reach after he was named as an emergent coach to face the Qualyfiers agains New Zeland on 2013's november.
Miguel Herrera used a base of the players he knew in América, the team he made champion of the Clausura 2013 and Liguilla finalists of the Apertura 2013. That final, Herrera's Aguilas lost against Leon. Moises Muñoz, Paul Aguilar, Juan Carlos Valenzuela, Miguel Layun, Francisco Rodriguez, Juan Carlos Medina and Raul Jimenez were the mens chosen by Herrera to lead, via Wellington the mexican national team to their 15th World Cup appearence.
Mexico started the World Cup's year with a friendly won against Korea 4-0 in San Antonio, Texas. After that, Mexico won 2 more friendlies and tied 2 more before the first loss against Bosnia Herzegovina and 3 days later against Portugal. After those lost matches, the mexican participation on the World Cup seemed very difficult because of the performance of the team, but the best thing was just about to come.
The Debut
The clue day for Mexico on the World Cup finally came, Mexico faced Cameroon at Natal in a flooded Stadium, the mexicans needed to win to take the co-lead of the Group A, and so they did. A solitary goal from Oribe Peralta made Mexico to take the first 3 points that were very important before facing the host. But it wasn't only the victory that they got, Mexico found a very well established formation, a goalkeeper that later will be the hero of the team, and the refereeing errors that took off from Herrera's sqaud two valid goals from falsely-decided offsides by Giovanni dos Santos.
The Buildup
Mexico faced the most though match from the first round visiting the host at the Castelao Stadium in Fortaleza, the final result was a draw with no-goals, being Guillermo Ochoa the clue man of the match saving Mexico in 5 clear goal opportunities, Herrera showed once more his momentum and passion in front of the mexican ship, this due to some more refeereing mistakes through the match, those, to avoid a Brazilian failure on the group stage.
Historic day
Even though Mexico had 4 points and was the co-leader in that moment of the Group A, the pass to the knockout stage had yet to be confirmed, so Mexico played at Arena Pernambuco needing a draw or victory that took the to next round, Rafael Márquez, Andrés Guardado and Javier Hernández scored for the mexican cause, and even though Ivan Perisic discounted for Croatia, Mexico's squad passed to history as the best group phase in 84 years of World Cup's with 7 points and a +3 goal differential.
The Curse of 1986
Again the Castelao, a mexican national team condident of itself, a Miguel Herrera saying on press conference that they were there to make history, and above everything, Mexico seemed superior. Mexico dominated Netherlands for long periods of time in the first half, and as the second half was just starting and Giovanni dos Santos found the back of the net with a left footed shot that made 120 million people believe that the fifth match was close. But as fate would have it, the end came for 'El Tri' with two goals in 5 minutes, ending the Mexican adventure--first from a Wesley Sneijder goal and then, by a penalty kick, Klaas Jas Huntelaar signaled the end of Mexico's luck on Brazilian soil. It was a trip that ended better than many supporters could have thought before the World Cup.
Herrera has been in charge of the Mexican national team in 12 matches with a balance of 5 games won, 3 draws ans 4 losses, with a points-per-game (PPG) above 50% (1.50 PPG). But above all the possible statistics that could be mentioned, 'El Piojo' brought passion, devotion, and a will to fight until the very last minute, and to make a very unified team. It all worked to give the mexican people the chance to believe and to show the world how Mexicans live through their soccer.
Last Monday, Herrera used his Twitter account to keep in touch with his followers on his situation. He wrote, "On these days I must show a report of what worked [and what did not work] and we'll see what's next." By now, nothing is known, but it is expected that Miguel Herrera and Hector Gonzalez Iñarritu -director of the Mexican football federation (FEMEXFUT or FMF)- show up on a press conference to make public the future of 'El Piojo'.
En estos días debo entregar un reporte de lo que trabajamos y veremos qué sigue.
— Miguel Herrera (@MiguelHerreraDT) julio 1, 2014
Herrera and his passion on matchday were a global sensation. After Roy Hodgson left his post England as manager of the national side, a petition emerged asking the FA to hire Herrera to coach "The Three Lions." The logical end of the situation would be for FMF to offer Herrera a contract going until the end of Russia 2018. But that finality may not exactly be so written into stone..