Miguel Herrera, the well-known and excitable coach of Mexico’s national team, has proven himself a most interesting figure at the World Cup this year, blowing up social media with some of the best gifs the world has ever seen.
Herrera has been coaching the team since 2013, a year when the group of “disillusioned players” went through three coaches before Herrera and finished fourth in the CONCACAF qualification, behind the United States, Honduras and Costa Rica, recounted The Independent.
The team was badly in need of unification, and Herrera provided it, beating New Zealand 9-3 (on aggregate) in the playoff round that qualified Mexico for the World Cup. (Mexico does somewhat owe its qualification to the United States, which beat Panama 3-2 in their last game to ensure that Mexico would advance. When asked whether Mexico should thank the United States for this “favor”, he jokingly replied “They owe us more, for California.”)
The beloved coach has 757,000 followers on Twitter, and has been extremely popular since the games began. Fans love him because of his open personality and free spirit, said the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation:
“He is so authentic, so expressive and so genuine,” said Enrique Krauze, a Mexican historian and World Cup commentator. “He’s becoming the representation of the Mexicans’ ability to celebrate and party. That is very seductive.”
Although he wears a suit and a tie, Herrera rumbles up and down the sidelines like a classic Mexican wrestler. When his players score, he shakes his arms in the air and seemingly goes into a state of euphoria, throwing his short, stout body up and down the sidelines.
With the 2-1 loss against the Netherlands this morning, it’s a pity we will not see more of Herrera and his antics. But hopefully the following the coach has created thus far will stay with him during his career, and possibly into a future World Cup.