Mexico legend Hugo Sánchez blasts former El Tri manager Gerardo 'Tata' Martino over Santiago Giménez World Cup snub: 'I will never forgive him'

Mexican football legend Hugo Sánchez slammed Gerardo 'Tata' Martino after the former Mexico coach admitted to ESPN that "maybe he made a mistake" by leaving Santiago Giménez out of the 2022 World Cup.

Sánchez responded sharply: "I will never forgive him for playing against Argentina while leaving the flanks open for Messi, without Edson Álvarez, and without a center forward. It’s a disgrace."

Martino broke his silence about the decisions he made leading up to the 2022 World Cup, including leaving Santiago Giménez out, who was playing in European football with Feyenoord and was in good form. After excluding him from the squad and choosing Rogelio Funes Mori, who only played one match but made no impact, Mexico were eliminated in the Group Stage for the first time since 1978. Following this disastrous result, Martino left his position as coach a few days after the elimination.

Martino would later go on to be the head coach of Inter Miami for one and a half seasons, lifting the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield but crashing out of the playoffs in the first round at the hands of underdogs Atlanta United.

"For disrespecting the National Team and Mexican football with the behaviors they say he had—leaving, not attending to the work he was supposed to do," Sanchez said, adding to his criticisms of Martino.

During his time with the Mexican National Team, Martino only won the 2019 Gold Cup, while he lost the 2021 Final and the Nations League Final against the United States. In 66 matches coached over nearly four years, the Argentine won 42 games, drew 11, and recorded 13 losses.