The Best of Both Worlds

About some time last week, stands lining the streets began to set up displays of the mexican flag.  Now every store has its little patriotic display of red, white, and green flags and paper decorations. It isnt too different from the states, but the patriotism here is much more a daily part of life, and near Independence day on September 16, everyone wants to show how proud they are to be Mexican. 

With this as a background, perhaps it was unfortunate to have had the big soccer match against the US scheduled so close to Independence day.  The 2-0 defeat that Mexico suffered against the Americans was a cruel defeat for a country so obsessed with soccer– as we all know the same can hardly be said for the US.  The head coach for Mexico, De La Volpe, said as much at the post game press conference when he made the comment that the US soccer team doesnt have to worry about any pressure, that soccer isnt important in America, and hence the American team is muy chico– bascially a bunch of amateurs. 

Maybe thats true at the moment.  I talked to my dad this morning, and after I told him the result of the game (which he had not known even happened the night before) he even said that he wished the Mexicans had won!  And for what reason?– because they actually care about it, so its a shame that we had to ruin their day.  He is pretty much saying that we won for nothing, as nobody even cares about the victory; the match ended with Mexico having an even worse image of the US, and the US none the better either as very few people even knew it happened. 

But nobody is going to care about US soccer until they start to accomplish something.  Certainly, right now the level of interest in the sport has not reached the point where the average sports fan is aware of its presence.  I dont expect the older generation to pick it up, nor many people of my age, but the potential is there for the future.  The world is more open now than it has ever been before.  Whereas 20 years ago nobody could watch a Real Madrid football match, and even getting information about match scores would take possibly weeks, now anyone, anywhere in the world, can follow the Liga espanola as well as you could if you were in Spain.  These days you can see the occasional R. Madrid or Man. United shirt on the street; last month R. Madrids tour of the states gathered before unheard of excitement–they were greeted everywhere they went like the superstars they are in the rest of the world.  Surely this is finally the start of the Amercian sports fan gaining concsiousness of world soccer.  It will take time, but with the proven excellence of the US team, and the opening up of the world through the internet, the pieces are there to expect big changes in the coming decades.