Ordiales leaves Mexico sporting director post

Jaime Ordiales left his position as sporting director for Mexico men’s national teams, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) announced on Monday. According to the FMF, the exit was a “personal decision” and through “mutual agreement.”

“Jaime fulfilled the agreed upon transitional period with Yon de Luisa, president of the FMF, and with Rodrigo Ares de Parga, executive director of national teams, to face past commitments in the process of the election and presentation of coaching staff for the Mexican national team, the Concacaf Under-17 Championship and the qualifying matches for the [CONCACAF Nations League] Final Four, which were completed satisfactorily,” read Monday’s statement.

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Ordiales stepped into his role in July of 2022, shortly after a number of changes were made at the FMF.

A day before Ordiales was brought in, the FMF fired general sporting director Gerardo Torrado, sporting director of national teams Ignacio Hierro, and men’s Under-20 team coach Luis Perez. Women’s national team manager Monica Vergara would soon be dropped later that summer. Along with Ordiales, the FMF soon appointed Andrea Rodebaugh as the new sporting director for its women’s national teams and Pedro Lopez as the women’s national team coach.

By late November and after a disappointing group stage exit in the 2022 World Cup, the Mexico men’s team was without a manager after the expiration for former coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino’s contract. Earlier this year, Ordiales, De Parga, who was hired as executive director of national teams in January, and a newly formed committee of Liga MX club leadership were involved in the February decision to hire Diego Cocca as the new manager for the men.

Coupled with an upcoming election for club owners this May to replace De Luisa as the outgoing FMF president, questions remain for the structure of Mexican soccer ahead of a busy summer for the men’s senior team. After a high-profile Nations League semifinal against the rival United States on June 15 and an ensuing final or third place game, El Tri will start the Gold Cup group stage on June 25.

Mexico failed to win the previous editions of the Nations League and the Gold Cup, which were both won by the U.S. in finals against El Tri in 2021.

In recent weeks and after Ordiales’ exit, numerous reports have claimed that former Monterrey director Duilio Davino is one of the likely candidates to step into the now vacated sporting director role.