Tribute to Guerrero and Raga, Mexican basketball legends

▲ Arturo Guerrero (left) and Manuel Raga, yesterday during the tribute paid to them at the Mexican Sports Confederation. Photo: Germán Canseco

Adriana Díaz Reyes

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, July 6, 2025, p. 9

Without Arturo Guerrero and Manuel Raga, the history of Mexican basketball would be incomprehensible. The triumphs achieved just over half a century ago by former national team players gave the sport its splendour in our country in the 1960s and 1970s, and were remembered yesterday during a recognition ceremony at the Mexican Sports Confederation (Codeme).

It was always an honor to represent my country; today I walked past the Sports Palace and my skin crawled remembering what Manuel and I experienced at the 1968 Olympic Games. One of the most emotional moments of my career was when I promised my mother that before she passed away I would win the award for best athlete in Mexico, and I did so in 1970 , Guerrero shared.

Next year, the national team will mark half a century without qualifying for the Olympics, and Mano Santa hopes the drought can soon end.

Hopefully, a group of talented players will soon be formed and a ticket will be secured , added Guerrero, who was part of Mexico's national team and participated in two Olympic Games (Mexico 1968 and Montreal 1976).

Raga, a three-time European champion, shared his vision of the reality of Mexican basketball.

Unfortunately, we haven't built a good team. And it's not for lack of talent, but because the level of the sport has grown significantly worldwide. The day we reach half the level of work they're doing in Europe, the music will change , shared Raga, the Mexican Volador and the first NBA draft pick from the country by Atlanta (although he ultimately decided to play in Italy).

Raga, who joined the national team in 1962 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Mies, Switzerland, as a member of the 2016 class, urged officials to support the new generation from childhood.

"Money and support are needed at all levels. Unfortunately, the professional league in Mexico tends to focus on spectacle, and it's difficult for great talent to emerge from there. We need to organize the smaller leagues well, working as a team to foster more Ragas, more Guerreros, and more (Eduardo) Nájeras ," added the Tamaulipas native, who competed in three Olympic Games and three FIBA ​​World Cups. He also helped Mexico win a silver medal at the 1967 Pan American Games.

▲ El Tricolor had its final training session yesterday ahead of today's grand final in Houston. Photo @miselecciónmx

Alberto Aceves

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, July 6, 2025, p. a10

In nearly 50 years in football, Mexican national team coach Javier Aguirre's career includes episodes marked by relegation, club finals, and international tournaments, as well as unusual situations, such as the kick he gave to a Panama player at the 2009 Gold Cup and the press conference in which he wore a white cap, kept his head down, and accepted Argentina's superiority in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. "I can't argue with anyone anymore; I'm so tired ," he joked hours before facing the United States for the CONCACAF title. "I've officiated a thousand matches, thousands of conferences, and people remember that. They're little blemishes in my career, but the experience I have gives me peace of mind ."

Aguirre recalls during the conversation that at the same NRG Stadium in Houston, he kicked Panamanian Ricardo Phillips from his technical area 16 years ago. That action sparked a brawl, led to his expulsion, and CONCACAF authorities announced sanctions against him. "I didn't know it was in this stadium ," reflects El Vasco , paying special attention to the advice his wife Silvia has given him. "She worries about me staying calm, not making a fuss. She told me that in Mexico she met a very nice referee who told her: 'Make your husband do the dishes, because he's a pain and that saps his energy.' And he's right. I have to be an example for my players."

The match against the United States not only determines the Gold Cup champion, it's also Mexico's last official match before the 2026 World Cup. " I'm not the one to determine its importance ," he says, referring to those who question the value of winning a trophy in this region compared to other regions. "I'll leave that narrative to those who studied for this. I dedicate myself to coaching; nothing surprises me anymore. I can make mistakes, but I'm very self-critical, and that allows me to continue fighting match after match for big goals ."

The United States, competing without its star players, is under no less pressure. Their coach, Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, has failed to ease the country's concerns ahead of next year's World Cup. He was urgently recalled after the 2024 Copa América failure and finished fourth in their first official tournament, the CONCACAF Nations League in March. Christian Pulisic, the team's leader, requested a rest period, and other regulars such as Weston McKennie and Tim Weah competed in the Club World Cup with Juventus.

"It's always going to be a challenge to win this classic ," says América goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón, a starter since the competition began last June. "We're aware of what's happening outside of football; we want to give our all and give those fans satisfaction ."

Unlike Pochettino, Aguirre has already handed Mexico a trophy, the Nations League, since returning last year to take charge for a third time—Korea, Japan, 2002, and South Africa, 2010, the previous years—in a process already underway. This time, in Houston, the Mexican national team is seeking its tenth Gold Cup title and the chance to celebrate with its fans again on US soil, where part of the Mexican community is living in fear of the massive campaign of raids ordered by President Donald Trump.

" Javier is like our grandfather ," says Milan forward Santiago Giménez. "He's a man with a lot of experience and someone we trust. What's coming up is the North American derby. I have (Yunus) Musah and (Christian) Pulisic as teammates in the Milan locker room, and I want to poke fun at them a little. That's the beauty of football: competing, representing the people. We want to do it for our countrymen, not just today, but always. Our opponent to beat is them, and theirs is us ."

According to official CONCACAF data, nearly 60,000 people have already secured their seats at NRG Stadium (with a capacity of 72,220) for the tournament final. For the first time, organizers have designated Houston as the venue for the final match, where they expect a crowd of Mexican fans to fill the stands.

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, July 6, 2025, p. a10

Coming into this year's Club World Cup, everything was uncertain for Real Madrid, the tournament's biggest winner. Xabi Alonso had taken over as coach just 15 days before the tournament, and the squad hadn't displayed convincing performances in the opening matches; however, they improved and now have advanced to the semifinals with a 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund.

Now, the Spanish team's next challenge to reach the final will be on Wednesday against PSG, the current Champions League champions, who resisted numerical disadvantage and dramatic results to eliminate Bayern Munich, the epitome of German football's precision. In the other tie, Fluminense, the World Cup runner-up, will face Chelsea on Tuesday.

Gonzalo, who has been the revelation of the merengue squad, broke the zero at the MetLife Stadium, in New Jersey, just 10 minutes after a collective play, while Fran García (20) increased the score with a shot from the edge of the area.

But the highlight came from the boots of international star Kylian Mbappé (90+4), who delighted the fans with a scissor-kick shot just off the post to score Madrid's third goal when the game was on the line. It was the French striker's first goal of the tournament after overcoming an infection that kept him out until the round of 16.

Borussia Dortmund came close to equalizing with a goal from Maximilian Beier (90+2) and a penalty from Serhou Guirassy (90+8), following a foul by Dean Huijsen (90+6), who was sent off; the only bad note for the Merengues.

Earlier at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, PSG demonstrated their Champions League title essence after overcoming the expulsions of William Pacho (82) and Lucas (90+2) to beat Bayern Munich 2-0.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was a key player in both the positive and dramatic aspects. While Désiré Doué (78) and Dembélé (90+6) scored the goals, the keeper was instrumental in keeping the Parisian side clean, while also being involved in a serious ankle injury suffered by Bayern midfielder Jamal Musiala, who was taken off on a stretcher in a serious condition.

▲ Photo AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, July 6, 2025, p. a10

Jasper Philipsen won the opening stage of the Tour de France in a sprint on Monday, while defending champion Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia, who is bidding for a fourth victory, finished 18th. On the opening stage in Lille, the Belgian's teammate, Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, helped him put himself in a great position to pull away in the final 100 meters and take a commanding victory by a clear margin, his tenth stage win in the French competition. Eritrean Biniam Girmay was second and Norwegian Soren Waerenskjold third.