Posted on 06/18/2002 4:29:09 PM PDT by What Is Ain't
MEXICO CITY - For soccer-mad Mexicans, it was bad enough that their team was eliminated from the World Cup on Monday. More heartbreaking was the fact that the blow was delivered by the United States, which many Mexicans see as an arrogant, domineering neighbor.
''It hurts us here,'' said José Luis Luviano, 21, punching his chest. Tears melted the Mexican flags painted on his cheeks. ``There has to be an end to this disgrace where [Americans] treat us like rats and idiots.''
Millions of Mexicans, including President Vicente Fox and most of his Cabinet, watched Mexico's dreams of advancing in soccer's World Cup die in a 2-0 defeat to the United States, a nation that -- maddeningly enough -- barely seems to care about soccer.
At the Yuppie's Sports Cafe, fans stood and sang as the Mexican anthem was played. Many screamed obscenities at The Star-Spangled Banner -- signs of resentment at a wealthier, more powerful northern neighbor that Mexicans often feel treats them with disrespect.
As the game drew to an end, fans began to sob, and some hid their faces in their team jerseys.
''It hurts because it's Mexico, but it also hurts because it's the United States,'' Luviano said.
''Soccer truly is the most popular activity that allows people to vicariously express their national feelings,'' said Robert M. Levine, director of the University of Miami's Center for Latin American Studies. ``It allows Mexicans to dream of somehow overcoming their historical feelings of inferiority and dream, in this particular case, in defeating the monster to the north that took half their country.''
Soccer matters so much that Mexico City's San Gabriel Archangel Church displays a statue of the baby Jesus that's been rechristened ''The Holy Child of Soccer.'' The baby wears a tiny version of Mexico's green and white national team uniform and clutches a miniature ball.
Fox summoned almost his entire Cabinet -- which he repeatedly had compared to the national soccer team -- to watch the game, which started at 1:30 a.m. local time.
He tried to put a positive face on the loss, telling team members in a televised conversation: ``In no way do we feel defeated. We have been with you and we will continue to be. We learn from our losses.''
Mexican newspapers weren't as charitable in front-page headlines Monday that were like a bad hangover to fans who saw the event live.
The MOST BITTER defeat wailed El Universal.
It's Over! cried La Jornada, which bore a full-page picture of a U.S. and Mexican player battling for the ball.
LOL. Their crying is quite amusing. Especially because this is their "best" sport, and yet they still lose to the gringos.
Instead of whining about it, why don't they do what Americans would do, pick themselves up, build a better team and come back next year? Canada is in the same boat on the northern border, but they're not poor or third word. Sounds like they're making excuses down there.
Ain't that the truth. How many Americans watched the game or even knew about it? It's just no big deal here, get over it.
I'm from Boston where we are passionate about our sports and we have our hated rivals (like the New York Yankees or the Montreal Canadians). But if our team loses, we all get up in the morning and forget about it. We move on. There are people for whom soccer is their entire world and that is rather pathetic.
I got e-mail this week from friends in Germany. They are talking about this game with the USA like it was World War Three or something. One of them told me not to take it that hard when the USA suffers a humiliating defeat. Are you kidding? I couldn't even name one player from the USA team and I'm more concerned with how the Red Sox do against the Dodgers this weekend. Foreigners just don't understand why we Americans don't seem to care about this sport. (Still, I hope the USA wins.)
What a bunch of scum.
BTW, I look forward to seeing the Yankees in the World Series this year. Hahaha
Or did they?
Pardon por favor......not
Well, if you lived in those other countries, you wouldn't have much to look forward to besides soccer, especially in Mexico.
It's also amazing to me that the US can compete and win at soccer against countries where most kids start playing as soon as they can walk. It's a game that can be played with almost any ball that is close to the size of a soccer ball. You can use just about anything to mark a goal. No special gear or equipment is required, just the ball.
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