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 News from Around the Americas | June 2006 
Mexico and Its Fans Having a Soccer Ball
 John P. Lopez - Houston Chronicle
| | About 40,000 Mexican soccer fans swept into Bavaria on Sunday, drawing curious Germans to the streets to spend the afternoon meeting the famously wild and cheerful visitors. |
Nuremberg, Germany - Most of the day, the mood was free-spirited during this convergence of different cultures connected by a common dance. The polka.
About 40,000 Mexican soccer fans swept into Bavaria on Sunday, drawing curious Germans to the streets to spend the afternoon meeting the famously wild and cheerful visitors.
Revelry abounded. The oompah bands kept beat with a mariachi's bass guitar. The Aztec drums pounded the same rhythm as German bass horns.
And so they danced.
Thousands upon thousands danced, as it was the only language they could share. There were lederhosen. And sombreros. Some tipped steins of German ale; others lifted leather flasks of Jose Cuervo.
A one, a two.
El Tri.
But there was one moment, arriving just 12 minutes into Mexico's emotional 3-1 World Cup victory over Iran, that defined the day and leaving this Mexican team (aka Tricolores) and its fans with an indelible image.
Mexican goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez was not supposed to be in the unenviable place he found himself, staring at the impossible as Iran's Vahid Hashemian lined up an easy shot on goal.
Sanchez left his teammates just Thursday morning, returning to Guadalajara after his father died Wednesday night of a heart attack while packing to travel to Germany to watch his son.
Sanchez was not expected back in Germany until this week's second group match, if at all. With Sanchez, one of the world's great keepers, or without him on Sunday, "the team is with him," Mexico captain Rafael Marquez said.
Can't keep him away
But Sanchez ultimately felt the need that athletes thrust into these sad places often feel: to follow the path.
Sanchez's father, Felipe, cleared the way to this kind of moment. Sanchez seized it only hours after returning from Mexico, diving headlong to his left and flicking away with one hand the close-in shot by Hashemian.
The Iranian walked away in disbelief at losing what should have been an easy goal. The festive mood of the crowd changed to one of reverence. Those in attendance recognized the significance of Sanchez's being the one to make the play that ignited Mexico's victory.
The crowd began chanting in honor of Sanchez, "Por-ter-o, por-ter-o, por-ter-o."
Goalie, goalie, goalie.
At the final whistle, Sanchez fell to his knees and looked skyward. His teammates, who presented him with flowers when he arrived bleary-eyed, swarmed him with hugs and pats on the back.
"My father watched me from heaven today," Sanchez said. "I felt different. I can't explain it."
Before Sanchez's big save, and certainly after Omar Bravo carried the momentum on a pair of Mexico's three goals, it was more about exuberance than reverence. Mexico brought the party, and Nuremberg danced.
The lengths to which the throng of Mexican fans went to watch this Cup opener were perhaps one reason Sanchez always knew he would be back. Love of family and love of the game often intersect. The things a widely impoverished nation does for its Mexican national team can amaze and inspire as much as anything.
Mexico's Banco Azteca, for example, flew about 200 customers to Nuremberg for Sunday's game. Not all of them were high-dollar clients or politicians. There were contest winners, too, including Lourdes Sandoval Alvarado and Alfonso Garcia.
The trip to Germany for these lucky Mexicans was a dream. The itinerary for the 200 who showed up with Aztec headdresses, painted faces, sombreros and flags draped over their shoulders was something less than a dream. The chartered plane left Mexico City at 1 a.m. Sunday. It arrived in Nuremberg three hours before kickoff. Two hours after Mexico's win, it flew back to Mexico.
No hotel. No sightseeing. No sleep.
"It's worth the pain," Garcia said. "I probably am not going to be able to sleep in a bed for 40 hours. But after this, I don't think I'll sleep for a week anyway."
Showing their colors
Among those on the charter were fans from Coahuila, Durango, Monterrey, Guanajuato and Mexico City. They brought flags, horns, face paint and trumpets.
"This is a dream," Alvarado said. "This is beyond a dream."
There were similar stories throughout the crowd.
Despite stifling temperatures, Javier Acevedo of Mexico City wore a red, white and green serape and a sombrero. He spent the day furiously spinning the traditional matraca noisemaker — a wood rattle.
Pedro Barrera, a shoe importer from Laredo who also works in Houston, spent $6,000 so he and his brother could fly to Germany and watch all three of Mexico's group games.
Jose Luis Artiaga was one of the most photographed Mexican fans of all. Standing on a concrete bench before and after the game, he wore a silver Aztec warrior costume adorned with peacock feathers and had bells on his shoes. He belted out mariachi songs.
"Why do I do this?" Artiaga said. "Because it's Mexico and fútbol. We celebrate the things we love."
And occasionally, you honor them.
"I think Oswaldo had an angel on his shoulder today," Mexico coach Ricardo La Volpe said. "There was an angel with him, I know." |
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