Javier Aguirre Onaindía (Spanish pronunciation: [xaˈβjeɾ aˈɣire]; born 1 December 1958), nicknamed El Vasco (The Basque), is a Mexican football manager and former footballer.
As a player, he is best remembered for his time at Club América, where he made his debut and won a Primera División championship, and later at Guadalajara, where he played for six seasons before retiring. On the international stage, he earned 59 caps and represented Mexico at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
Upon retiring, Aguirre transitioned into management and quickly established a reputation as a tactically flexible and resilient coach. After leading Pachuca to prominence, he took charge of the Mexico national team, guiding them in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, a feat he would repeat at the 2010 and 2026 editions as well.
His managerial career extended well beyond Mexico. At Atlético Madrid, he delivered consistent top-table finishes in La Liga and secured regular European qualification; he also guided both Osasuna and Mallorca to Copa del Rey finals. On the international stage, he coached the national teams of Japan and Egypt, achieving mixed success.
Aguirre was born in Mexico City on 1 December 1958. He earned the nickname El Vasco due to his parents’ Basque heritage. His mother hailed from Guernica and his father from Ispaster; the couple migrated to Mexico in 1950. Through them, Aguirre qualified for a Spanish passport, a valuable asset that eased his professional career abroad. Reflecting his roots, he gave his three sons traditional Basque names: Iker, Ander, and Iñaki.
Aguirre began his professional career with Club América, making his first-team debut in 1979 before moving to the Los Angeles Aztecs the following year. After a brief stint in the United States, he returned to his former club, where he quickly cemented his place as a regular starter. His second spell with Club América proved highly successful, culminating in the 1983–84 championship title, in which he scored in the decisive final.
Aguirre then joined Atlante, spending two seasons with the club before heading to Spain to sign with Osasuna. His time in La Liga was disrupted by a serious injury that sidelined him for several months, and after just a year abroad, he returned to Mexico to play for Guadalajara. There, he made over 100 appearances before bringing his playing career to a close.
Aguirre earned 59 international caps for the Mexico national team between 1983 and 1992, scoring 13 goals.
He was a member of the squad at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, held in Mexico, where he appeared in the quarter-final against West Germany. During the game, Aguirre was sent off, becoming the first Mexican player to be dismissed in a World Cup fixture.
After his retirement, Aguirre took up managing, first at Atlante and then Pachuca, where he won his first title as manager, the Invierno 1999 championship.
On 22 June 2001, Aguirre was appointed manager of the Mexico national team, replacing Enrique Meza. The team sat fifth in their qualifying group for the 2002 FIFA World Cup following a 3–1 away defeat to Honduras, part of a dismal run of just one win in 12 matches. In his debut match on 1 July, El Tri defeated the United States at home. Mexico ultimately qualified in second place behind Costa Rica after securing a crucial 3–0 victory over Honduras at the Estadio Azteca on 11 November.
Aguirre coached Mexico at the 2001 Copa América in Colombia, where they beat Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay before losing the final 1–0 to the hosts. The next year, at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Mexico topped their group after wins over Croatia and Ecuador and a draw with Italy, but were eliminated in the round of 16 by the United States.
On 6 June 2002, while leading Mexico at the World Cup, Aguirre agreed to coach La Liga club Osasuna after previous manager Miguel Ángel Lotina quit for Celta de Vigo; he had previously played for the Navarrese club. In his first season in Pamplona, the club reached the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, losing 4–2 on aggregate to Recreativo de Huelva.
In 2004–05, Aguirre went one better, guiding Osasuna to the cup final, where they lost 2–1 after extra time to Real Betis. In the following league season, the Rojillos beat Sevilla FC to a joint-best 4th place and their first qualification to the UEFA Champions League, having led the table after 11 games.
On 24 May 2006, days after Osasuna finished the season in fourth, Aguirre signed a one-year contract to replace Pepe Murcia at Atlético Madrid. After a fourth-place finish in 2008 confirmed a place in the Champions League, he extended his deal by another year.
Aguirre was dismissed from the Vicente Calderón Stadium on 2 February 2009, after a run of two points from five games. He was replaced by the team's former goalkeeper Abel Resino, who arrived from CD Castellón.
On 3 April 2009, Aguirre became the new manager of the Mexico national team, replacing Sven-Göran Eriksson. He was officially presented in a press conference two weeks later.
On 6 June, Aguirre debuted in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against El Salvador, losing 2–1. However, he rebounded four days later with a 2–1 win over Trinidad and Tobago.