We Know it was Just A GAME

   
      On the 17th of June 2018 it was father's day. Sunday was special for a variety of reasons, one big reason was that it falls under the world cup calendar. It was extra special for Mexican dads that follow and cherish the Mexican national team, El Tri. The defending world cup champions, Germany, were defeated by a 1-0 scoreline by the Mexican national team. It was a group match which means that a win, loss, or draw wouldn't necessarily mean the end for either team. Each team is guaranteed to play 3 matches to determine if they reach the knockout phase of the tournament.

     The celebration was wild! Irving "Chucky" (pronounced CHOOKY) Lozano scored the winning goal for Mexico in the 35th minute. Once the final whistle blew emotions filled the stands, the players, and those fans all over the world who bleed red, white, and green watched from. My Twitter feed blew up with memes and Gifs of joy and support of the Mexican victory. I loved it.

     I will take this moment to thank the Mexican national team for giving my dad one of the best gifts he probably has and will ever receive on father's day. Hearing him shout "Chooky is number 1!" filled me with even more emotion than I already was after the match concluded.

     WE KNOW IT WAS JUST A  GAME. We get it. Myself, along with the rest of the mexican and non-mexicans who support the national team. But, what many (mostly stateside) fail to understand that soccer is an amplifier of emotions. Sports tend to do that at a pretty intense level, but the world cup puts it beyond reach of anything on this planet. To reiterate, what I say often with confidence, sports are political. They are also a glimpse of hope, a window to show others, the world, who one is and the Mexican national team, as many other national teams are as well, are exactly that too many people.

      Mexico is geographically located in North America, yet their soccer resonates closer to South America. The language, the flair, the passion has always been similar to those nations south of Mexico. However, due to their geographical location, the Mexican national team is part of the CONCACAF (The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) federation under FIFA (Federation International of Football Associations). Historically, the world cup has been dominated by European and South American national teams. Mexico has been that one team that is talented, but never really at the standard of the very best.

     For those who question the passion of the Mexican people for their national soccer team baffles me. I question whether they are sports fan themselves which then is even more baffling, but the common person who sees the neanderthal in sports fandom as mob mentality, I can understand that. To address both, the Mexican national team is sacred to most Mexicans for a variety of reasons. Stepping into the social and political realm again for those not familiar, Mexicans know what is going on in their country. They are aware of the government corruption, the scandals, the drug trafficking and issues that surround the country. They live there guys. If your motive is to hate on the Mexican national team due to confusing it with the Mexican government or that being poor due to that same government cheating its own people some how makes them less aware or lazy and dumb I loudly will like to tell you to "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE."

    The Mexican national team is the small window that allows Mexicans to express and demonstrate themselves as a collective to the world view without much bias and outside interference. The Mexican federation isn't innocent themselves, but the players play the game that brings so much joy to the people that most still support their players knowing the shadow that lurks.

     I am not attempting to start a fandom war or state that Mexican fans are better than others. From videos from social media one can see that Mexican fans do enjoy themselves and are inviting for others to join in with their celebratory lifestyle.

     Soccer means so much to Mexicans because it is an outlet, a beacon of national pride, a commutative collective that most Mexican don't find at the government level or much acceptance from their northern neighbor. I study sports and still don't completely understand why my parents' and my national team makes my heart rate increase and fill my head and soul with such passion when Mexico plays. I understand, it isn't the most logically sound thing in life, but I don't care. I love this sport. And Mexicans love their national team. And beating Germany in the world cup was one of the greatest moments in sports that I can proudly say I witnessed. And I wasn't alone. 
           

      

2018 FIFA Men's World Cup (Group F)

Group F

Germany (1)

Mexico (15)

Sweden (23)

South Korea (61)

                Unlike the past groups, group F is one that I have a personal investment in. Mexico is the birthplace of my parents and where I get my food, traditions, and language. Most of the time I have temporary bias when I support a team or player. At times I enjoy watching Spain then get tired of them and watch Brazil and the same goes with club teams. I enjoy watching football in general. But, Mexico is different. It is a personal bias. Fans will understand when I speak of my team it is with passion and emotion. However, as I went through academia and studied sports I learned how to separate myself momentarily to critique the teams I support in a more honest manner.

                Germany are not only clear favorites to win the group, but they are perceived to be favorites to lift the world cup again. The German national side has quality all around and what makes their dominance frightening or admirable is that plenty of their younger players are already playing significant amount of minutes in big clubs around Europe. The issue German coach, Joachim Low, will have is who will have to leave out of his 23-man roster for the 2018 World Cup. That being said, Germany is beatable. Die Mannschaft lost to Brazil in a friendly 1-0. One could state that a friendly isn’t always the best method to judge a team which can be the case. Germany did lose when it mattered. They lost to France by a score of 2-0 in the semi-finals at the Euros. This isn’t to diminish the German national team in anyway. They are favorites to win the World Cup and justifiably so. I would just shed light to those that are not aware that the mighty can fall.

                Mexico is a team that if you want to make a safe bet on getting out of the group stage you will definitely earn that money back. The issue with Mexico is that after the group stage one could double their gambling earnings by betting against Mexico winning their round of 16 match. Since the 1994 World Cup Mexico has been eliminated in the round of 16. That is six, SIX times! In Mexico there are talks of superstition and a curse of the fifth game. However, even though I love the stories I do not who heartedly believe in them. Mexico is a talented national team where players have the speed and technical ability to match anyone of the favorites, yet they do lack tactical discipline to beat the favorites. Mexico will finish second in the group which means they will face the winners of group E in the round of 16. Chances are that BRAZIL will win group E. So, is it really a curse or just bad luck? Why not just finish first?

                Sweden in certain newspapers are perceived as finishing 2^nd in the group. Which is not unrealistic, the games still have to be played, but I don’t see Sweden making much of a run this summer in Russia. They did beat Italy in a play-off to earn a spot at the World Cup. But, that was an Italian side that was tactically handicap due to their coach and a national team that has not been playing up to its name for the past decade. Sweden has a chance to finish second, but to me that chance is very minimal. The Swedes play compact, pragmatic, and disciplined football. I don’t think they have the talent upfront to beat even the likes of Mexico.

                South Korea is a team I wish was a lot better than they currently are. I want to cheer for them simply because of Son Heung-min. He is the winger/forward who plays for Tottenham Hotspurs in the English Premier league. I enjoy watching Son play, but his supporting cast doesn’t have the quality to make a serious run to finish second in the group.   

  

                For group F Germany are the clear favorites to finish first with Mexico in second.