Oswaldo Sánchez says the goal Maxi Rodríguez scored against Mexico at the 2006 World Cup still lives with him almost two decades later. The former Mexico goalkeeper described it as one of the hardest defeats he has had to carry, saying the memory of that extra-time goal remains a deep emotional mark.
Sánchez said the match was within reach for Mexico and that he had never felt so close to beating Argentina in a World Cup knockout game. Mexico had taken the lead early, and he said the Argentine players, including Carlos Tévez, showed signs of nervousness as the game tightened. For him, that only made the ending harder to absorb: a 2-1 loss in extra time after a contest he believed México could have won.
The detail that has stayed with Sánchez is not just the result but the way Rodríguez finished the move. He said Rodríguez had joked that he “no solía tener precisión con la pierna izquierda,” then struck the decisive shot with his left foot. Sánchez called it technically impeccable and said the ball went to the corner, leaving him no chance to save it. That was the moment Mexico’s Round of 16 hopes vanished under Ricardo La Volpe in Argentina in the World Cup.
The emotional aftermath lasted well beyond the final whistle. Sánchez said he needed several days before he could sleep normally again, and that he sometimes woke up upset and shouting because of the defeat. He later spoke with Maxi Rodríguez about the goal after the match in 2006, but the exchange did not erase what had happened. The match remains one of the most remembered moments in Mexican soccer because it combined hope, control and a finish that changed everything in a single strike.
What makes Sánchez’s reflection stand out is how little distance time has created. Almost two decades later, he is still describing the game as “estaba al alcance,” a reminder that the loss was not a collapse but a narrow escape that went the other way. For Mexico, the scoreline is fixed at 2-1. For Sánchez, the larger story is that one of the country’s most painful World Cup exits never really ended.
