Mexico Soccer Coach Aguirre Hit in Head by Object Thrown from Stands in Honduras

 Mexico's coach Javier Aguirre signs his national anthem prior to a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals first leg soccer match against Honduras, at Francisco Morazan stadium in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP)
Mexico's coach Javier Aguirre signs his national anthem prior to a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals first leg soccer match against Honduras, at Francisco Morazan stadium in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP)
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Mexico Soccer Coach Aguirre Hit in Head by Object Thrown from Stands in Honduras

 Mexico's coach Javier Aguirre signs his national anthem prior to a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals first leg soccer match against Honduras, at Francisco Morazan stadium in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP)
Mexico's coach Javier Aguirre signs his national anthem prior to a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals first leg soccer match against Honduras, at Francisco Morazan stadium in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP)

Mexican national team coach Javier Aguirre sustained a head injury after being hit by an object at the end of a Nations League quarterfinal match against Honduras on Friday.

At the end of the game that Mexico lost 2-0 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Aguirre walked up to greet Colombian coach Reinaldo Rueda when he was struck by an object, apparently a beer can that cut him and caused his head to bleed.

“Nothing it is just soccer, the game was hard fought, and they played better,” Aguirre said at a media conference at the end of the match. “Regarding the other (the incident), there’s no need to mention it, I’m not one who complains, it is just soccer, nothing happened.”

The 65-year-old Aguirre is in this third stint at the helm of the Mexican national team. He took over last August, replacing Jaime Lozano, who was fired after a first-round elimination in Copa America.

“I’m sad for what happened at the end of the match, because he is a human being,” said Rueda. “I want to apologize to the Mexican people and to Aguirre, this cannot happen."

Mexico will host Honduras next Tuesday in the second leg of their quarterfinal series.



Di Maria Studying to Become a Coach after Retirement

Benfica's Argentine forward #11 Angel Di Maria (front) celebrates with teammate Benfica's Danish defender #6 Alexander Bah after converting a penalty to score their fourth goal during the Portuguese League football match between SL Benfica and FC Porto at at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, on November 10, 2024. (AFP)
Benfica's Argentine forward #11 Angel Di Maria (front) celebrates with teammate Benfica's Danish defender #6 Alexander Bah after converting a penalty to score their fourth goal during the Portuguese League football match between SL Benfica and FC Porto at at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, on November 10, 2024. (AFP)
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Di Maria Studying to Become a Coach after Retirement

Benfica's Argentine forward #11 Angel Di Maria (front) celebrates with teammate Benfica's Danish defender #6 Alexander Bah after converting a penalty to score their fourth goal during the Portuguese League football match between SL Benfica and FC Porto at at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, on November 10, 2024. (AFP)
Benfica's Argentine forward #11 Angel Di Maria (front) celebrates with teammate Benfica's Danish defender #6 Alexander Bah after converting a penalty to score their fourth goal during the Portuguese League football match between SL Benfica and FC Porto at at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, on November 10, 2024. (AFP)

Benfica forward Angel Di Maria said he is studying to become a coach as he will consider opportunities in the dug-out when he eventually ends his 20-year-long playing career.

The 36-year-old, who helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup, retired from international soccer after winning his second Copa America trophy in July.

Former Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Paris St Germain player Di Maria has scored five goals and registered two assists in 14 appearances for Benfica this season, including a goal in their 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last month.

"I am taking the course to be a coach. I am doing it just in case," Di Maria said in an interview with Clank Media published late on Monday. "From the age of 30 I started to see football differently and analyze it."

"I started to see it not only from the player´s side, but also how a coach can see it. I know that the coaching side is much more difficult because it takes much more time. As a player you just train and go home.

"When I retire, I would like to enjoy time with my family for a while but later on, maybe this can happen."

Di Maria, who joined Benfica last year from Italian side Juventus, has a contract with the Portuguese club valid until June 2025.