Twenty years ago in soccer, Mexico vs. USA meant another win for our southern neighbors. In fact, it was so lopsided from 1934 to 1991 that Mexico dominated the U.S., going 23-2-3.
Since then, however, it has become one of the best sports rivalries in North America.
It doesn’t have the history of Yankees vs. Red Sox, or the popularity of Lakers vs. Celtics, but it does have two countries whose fans and players genuinely dislike one another.
Since 1991, the U.S. is a remarkable 13-10-7 against Mexico. This is extraordinary given America’s disinterest in soccer. Americans have little incentive to play the game, as they have much more to gain financially in football, basketball and baseball.
The average American sports fan might be able to name two MLS players, and both of them are European (France’s Thierry Henry and England’s David Beckham).
Every time the U.S. takes the field against Mexico the stadium is filled almost entirely with Mexican fans, regardless of which side of the border the game is held on. Mexico always seems to have “home-field advantage” in games against U.S., yet the U.S. has a winning record.
Saturday’s Gold Cup championship match at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. brought 93,420 spectators, 80,000 of which were rooting for Mexico, wrote Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times.
U.S. head coach Bob Bradley said he is well aware of the low turnout of U.S. fans at games.
“Obviously… the support that Mexico has on a night like tonight makes it a home game for them,” Bradley told Plaschke. “It’s part of something we have to deal with on the night.”
The national sport of Mexico is soccer. Kids are embedded with chants of “ole, ole” and “si se puede” from birth.
In the U.S., soccer is still an afterthought to sports like NASCAR and golf.
But you’d think U.S. fans would care about the rivalry since the U.S. has had the upper hand on Mexico in the last two decades.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
And that upper hand has essentially sparked the teams’ rivalry.
In 2002,the U.S. knocked Mexico out of the World Cup in the round of 16. Obviously, Mexico didn’t want to lose to any team, but it was the ultimate slap in the face to see a mediocre soccer team embarrass the pride of Mexico.
The frustrated Mexican team started to get physical at the end of the game, and Mexican defender Rafael Marquez was ejected for spearing U.S. player Cobi Jones in the back.
That match sparked a chain of events that would continue to add fuel to the fire.
U.S. player Landon Donovan has been at the center of the hatred.
Donavon has been an instrumental part of the recent success of the national team, but is demonized in Mexico for his antics off the field. It goes without saying that his urinating on sacred grass in Jalisco in front of the Mexican media days before a qualifying match didn’t help matters.
That incident led to fans in Estadio Azteca stadium in Mexico City tossing cups of vomit and urine at Donovan in a 2009 meeting between the teams. In addition, Mexican fans also chant “Osama” to get under Americans’ skin.
In 2010, Donovan starred in a lottery commercial shown in Mexico where he dressed up in a sombrero and poncho, wearing a thick mustache.
Many Mexicans took offense to the advertisement and called Donovan a racist.
With Saturday’s 4-2 come-from-behind victory, Mexico has won three straight games against the red, white and blue, and hopes to regain the dominance it once had. With a little pride and effort, this North American rivalry has the potential to be greater than that.
