MEXICO CITY – Millions of Mexicans – including President Vicente Fox –
stayed up through the night to have their hearts broken, their dreams of
advancing to the World Cup quarterfinals smashed with a 2-0 loss to the
United States.
"It hurts us here," said Jose 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."
Fox summoned almost his entire Cabinet to watch the game, broadcast live
from Jeonju, South Korea at 1:30 a.m. local time.
Thousands of police were on a tense watch around Mexico City's Angel of
Independence monument, a half block from the U.S. Embassy, to guard
against post-game disturbances at the traditional center of Mexican soccer
celebrations. Cars were banned in the area and police searched all those
approaching the monument for weapons or alcohol.
The U.S. Embassy, which was surrounded by barricades and riot police,
announced it would be closed Monday because of the game.
But only a small scattering of fans showed up at the Angel after the
loss, many of them sprawling on the asphalt in desolation. A handful of
people trudged around the monument holding aloft a Mexican flag.
If U.S. newspapers often treated the buildup to the game as secondary to
golf, the event dominated the news pages in Mexico.
"This is war!" announced a front-page headline in the Mexico City
newspaper Reforma.
At Yuppie's Sports Cafe, one of hundreds of restaurants that stayed open
for the game, nearly 1,000 people gathered to watch the game on
large-screen televisions. Chests were covered in the Mexican team's
green jersey, faces were painted the green, red and white of the Mexican
flag. The restaurant thundered with chants of "Mexico! Mexico!"
All 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.
For decades, Mexicans took pride in dominating the United States in
soccer, at least. But U.S. teams have steadily improved and now have
beaten Mexico in five of their last six meetings. Mexicans continue to
scoff at the state of soccer knowledge among U.S. sports fans, whose
nonchalance toward the game makes defeats even more bitter.
"The United States is a country of basketball, not of soccer," said
Lucia Arango, a 20-year-old street vendor. "Destiny has played a dirty
trick on us."
In a televised conversation with team members, Fox tried to put an
optimistic spin on the result.
"In no way do we feel defeated," he said. "The important thing is to
fight, fight, fight with tenacity."
When Brian McBride scored the first U.S. goal in the 8th minute, screams
of anger burst from the crowd at Yuppie's and people buried their heads
in their hands. After a few seconds of depression, the crowd again began
shouting, "Mexico! Mexico!"
But after the second U.S. goal the crowd grew quiet, and as it became
clear that Mexico wouldn't recover, men began to weep and pull their
team jerseys over their faces.
Relatively calm amid the uproar was a group in Mexican jerseys that
claimed to be from Canada.
Asked why a Canadian would have a southern U.S. accent, Michelle Tate,
27, admitted she was from Memphis, Tenn.
"We went out and bought Mexican jerseys and Mexican T-shirts as
camouflage," said Chris Calott, 41, an architecture professor from the
University of New Mexico.
While Calott said he was a soccer fan, none of his five companions had
ever watched a complete game before, let alone a match of the World Cup,
which is held every four years.
"I wouldn't be watching if I weren't here," Tate admitted. "I didn't
even know that the World Cup was every three years."
