Mexico National Football Team is weighing a change at right back for its second match of Mundial 2026, with Javier Aguirre considering taking Israel Reyes out and giving Jorge Sánchez minutes against Corea del Sur. The move would be one part of a broader defensive readjustment after the opening game, and it is being shaped by the pace México expects from the South Korean side.
That decision matters now because México is already preparing for its next step in Grupo A, not waiting until the final stretch of the tournament to sort out the back line. Aguirre has also been thinking about how to cover the absence of César Montes, who was sent off in the final minutes against Sudáfrica, and that makes Edson Álvarez the natural replacement in the middle of the defense.
The discussion is not limited to one swap. Gilberto Mora is also being considered for a place in the lineup after starting from the bench against Sudáfrica, and if he goes in, Brian Gutiérrez would be the player sacrificed. Gutiérrez began that match but looked hesitant at different moments and was booked, so the accumulation of yellow cards is part of the argument for sending him to the bench. Memo Ochoa has also been mentioned as a possible option, but he would not get minutes.
That leaves Aguirre with three moving parts: a change at right back, a possible shift in midfield, and a defensive adjustment forced by Montes’ absence. The common thread is caution, not panic. México is trying to match up to a faster opponent while keeping its structure intact, and the final lineup will show whether Aguirre trusts the changes he has been exploring or keeps only one of them for Corea del Sur.
The next confirmed test is the second match of Mundial 2026, and that is where the choices will have to become real. If Aguirre goes ahead with the expected adjustment, Jorge Sánchez gets the lane at right back, Álvarez holds the center, and the rest of the side tells the clearest story of how México wants to survive Grupo A.
