Mexico coach Javier Aguirre has stood down after his team failed to make the World Cup quarter-finals in South Africa for the fifth time in a row.
Mexico did well to get out of the group stages but were soundly beaten 3-1 by Argentina in Johannesburg on Sunday, failing to get past the last-16.
"I have to leave, it's the most honest thing to do," said Aguirre.
The 51-year-old, who succeeded Sven-Goran Eriksson in April 2009, was Mexico's fourth coach in four years.
He also coached the team in the 2002 World Cup, but was replaced after Mexico were eliminated by the United States.
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The future is in the hands of our young players
Javier Aguirre
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"Everything I did, I did thinking of the well-being of Mexico," added Aguirre, who said the next coach appointed by the Mexican Football Federation should be retained for the entire four-year World Cup cycle - which will end with the 2014 finals in Brazil.
"I'm the person responsible. I had a commitment to reach the fifth round. We didn't qualify for the next round, and because of this one can consider it a failure."
Citing players such as the attacking trio of Javier Hernandez, Giovani dos Santos and Carlos Vela, Aguirre continued: "The future is in the hands of our young players."
Aguirre took over from Eriksson a few weeks after being fired by Spanish club Atletico Madrid but has suggested that he may now be out of work for a while.
In the group stages, Mexico opened with a disappointing 1-1 draw with hosts South Africa before beating France 2-0 and then losing 1-0 to Uruguay.
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