Ricardo “El Tuca” Ferretti’s stint as Mexico’s manager has come to an end for all practical matters, but at 61 years old, his participation in Mexican soccer is long from over. Who knows, if newly-appointed manager Juan Carlos Osorio doesn’t work out, perhaps we’ll be seeing Tuca averting a new crisis, because as we all know, there is no doubt he definitely deserves it.
The Brazilian-Mexican coach has already stated he will be shaving his signature mustache, something he only does when he wins a title.
The 3-2 victory over the United States came in a dramatic and unexpected fashion. Paul Aguilar, a player hated by many, scored a great goal with a volley in the last minutes of extra time. Although Aguilar’s goal surprised most of us, seeing some footage of El Tuca’s training sessions makes everything more understandable.
Ferretti, who had always refused to manage El Tri, will be one of the few coaches that will end his time as manager of the team on a happy note. He has repeatedly said he can’t thank Mexican soccer enough for what it has given him, and that his short four-game stint as Mexico’s coach in a time of crisis was done free-of-charge and out of gratitude.
His numbers with El Tri currently sit at zero wins, three ties (the U.S. game counts officially as a tie since it went to extra time), and zero losses. These numbers might not say much, but the numbers from Tuca’s Mexican career say plenty. He has won Mexican league titles with three different teams: one CONCACAF Champions’ Cup, one Copa MX, and a Copa Libertadores final.
He is one in only five people to have won a Mexican league title as a player and coach with the same team.
Whatever happens with him from now on, all we Mexican soccer fans can say is thank you, Tuca.