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'Heavy blow to Mexican soccer' - El Tri fire three high-ranking officials after disappointing results

The Mexico Football Federation (FMF) has fired general sporting director Gerardo Torrado, sporting director of national teams Ignacio Hierro and men's Under-20 coach Luis Perez amid a major restructure following poor results for the women's and youth teams.

Mexico women's manager Monica Vergara keeps her role for now, but will be reviewed by the new management structure when it is in place.

The news was officially announced on Wednesday by FMF president Yon de Luisa following a series of underwhelming displays by the women's team and the men's U20s.

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What has been said by the Mexican FA?

De Luisa told a press conference: "The results obtained in recent weeks by the men's U20 team and the senior women's national team, which signified a heavy blow to Mexican soccer, and above all, for our fans, forces us to act."

He said replacements for those sacked would be announced in the next few days.

Why have the FMF fired so many senior staff?

Perez oversaw a dreadful campaign in the 2022 CONCACAF U20 Championship, in which Mexico lost to Guatemala in the quarter-finals on penalties.

As a result Mexico have failed to reach both the 2023 U20 World Cup or the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

It was a similarly bleak story for the women's team, with Vergara's charges dumped out in the group stage of the CONCACAF Women's Championship.

Mexico hosted the tournament, however were humiliated as they lost all three group games without scoring a goal. As a result, they have failed to reach the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, or the Olympics.

None of the sackings will impact the senior men's team, who will contest the 2022 World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year. But even that squad has been criticized over the past year, as they lost two finals to the United States last summer.

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