Juan Carlos Osorio: “Resigning from Mexico was my biggest mistake”

In talk with the show ESPN, Soccer Americasthe Colombian coach Juan Carlos Osorio was very clear in assessing his departure from the Mexican team, after giving the team the qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he debuted with a victory against the German team.

“It was my biggest mistake,” admitted the former Tri coach. “In the World Cup, the authorities of the Colombian Federation approached me and promised me the position of coach of the national team, as a Colombian it is a source of pride. There are three countries to which I am very grateful, Colombia, because it is my country; The United States, because I studied there and began to work and generate income, and Mexico, which gave me the opportunity to go to the World Cup,” explained Professor Osorio.

“When we beat Germany, later, we faced Brazil, the Mexicans changed their point of view, they wanted me to stay, but my decision was to resign because I believed in the Colombian Federation; later, due to other circumstances, they decided on another coach and that’s why I think it was my biggest mistake to leave Mexico where I was having a very good soccer career and with another four-year cycle we would have had very good results,” he added.

Although the heads of the Mexican Soccer Federation raised the possibility of staying in charge of El Tri, the Colombian “was naive”, motivated by the idea of ​​directing his country’s team.

“Yes, many people don’t know it, but after the victory over Germany they offered me another four years; I was very naive, I believed in the Colombian Federation, in the executives and the bosses and that, in the end, played against me. race”, reiterated the Colombian.

Osorio is grateful for the opportunity to settle in Colombia, where he directed América de Cali for up to a couple of months, as this allows him to be at the side of his parents and one of his sons; However, the strategist does not rule out the possibility of returning to work in the countries that previously welcomed him and treated him well.

“Every human being is grateful to those who helped him to be what he is; I love Colombia, I live here. I am very grateful to the United States, maybe one day I will return, and Mexico because it gave me the opportunity to go to a World Cup and it is a great country to lead.

The former Tri coach also gave his opinion on the absence of Javier Hernandez in the team of Argentine Gerardo Martino. “Javier has the ability to score goals, he scores extraordinary goals and others typical of a number 9. Raul Jimenez is different; With both of them, I tried to give them the opportunity to be in a team and at some point play together, because that affects the game a lot. Javier was always the figure that can bring other players, Raúl has improved a lot with the Wolves, the difference between them is minimal, and I wonder why Javier is not there”.