Playing at home can be a weapon, but it also sharpens expectation. That will be especially true for a Mexico side carrying the memory of an early exit four years ago and trying to turn emotion into momentum.
That matters. The Azteca is not just a stadium; it is part of football history, and for a host nation it can become a force of its own.
Aguirre appears determined to build a team in his own image: combative, direct and emotionally switched on. He knows what a home World Cup feels like, having been part of Mexico’s 1986 squad, and that experience gives weight to his message.
His task is clear: make sure the occasion drives the team forward rather than tightening legs. Raul Jimenez is likely to be central to that plan, offering experience, penalty-box instinct and the kind of presence younger attackers can play around.
The reported schedule gives Mexico a platform, but not an easy ride.
There is opportunity there, but also variety: physicality, structure and pace in different forms.
The next storyline to watch is whether Mexico can turn home advantage into early control. If they start well on June 11, belief could build quickly - and at the Azteca, belief tends to travel fast.