Osorio to keep Mexico job after Chile embarrassment

Juan Carlos Osorio will cling onto the Mexico head coach job despite El Tri's harrowing 7-0 Copa America Centenario quarterfinal exit to Chile last Saturday.

The result marked Mexico's worst-ever defeat in an official competition, and Mexican Football Federation (FMF) president Decio de Maria, general secretary Guillermo Cantu, and Osorio met Wednesday to discuss the future of the national team - talks that Cantu called "heated."

"Dismantling everything would be an error, which is why we've decided to continue with the project," Cantu told reporters Thursday, also confirming there won't be any other changes to the coaching staff.

"If we trust in the methodology of a person (Osorio), it is because those of us on the inside have seen it."

Cantu also hinted that Osorio, as well as others within the FMF, considered resigning after trundling out of the tournament red-faced, again failing to match the country's finest Copa America finishes of third in 1997, 1999, and 2007.

"It was part of the reflection," he admitted.

Fronted by a reinvigorated Javier Hernandez and the exciting FC Porto attacker Jesus Corona, it appears to be an exciting generation for Mexico. But constant swapping and changing of his lineup had already put Osorio on the hot seat in his homeland, and after the Chile loss, calls for his head reached fever pitch.

"The results at this Copa America were a failure, but the project is Russia 2018," continued Cantu. "In order to strengthen, we have to trust in the team, with its leader Juan Carlos Osorio."

On the bright side, the embarrassing elimination from the Copa America Centenario marked Mexico's first defeat in 22 matches. El Tri returns to action with 2018 World Cup qualifiers against El Salvador and Honduras in September.