Source:
Published in 2009 on ESPN.com, this first-person account by American sports journalist Bill Simmons documents his experience of watching a match between the United States and Mexico at the famous Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico. As a self-proclaimed soccer critic like many other American sports fans, Simmons provides a unique perspective on what this match means to both the teams and fans of both nations. Simmons, caught off guard by the intensity of the matchup, acknowledges that this match was more than just routine competition; it was an event where Mexicans could unite around the sole goal of beating the United States.
This source is valuable as it comes from a famous American journalist who covers the most prominent sports for the largest sports media outlet in the United States. Despite knowing little about soccer or the history of this rivalry, Simmons quickly learns how important this match is to Mexican fans. His observation that 76 percent of Mexico City residents felt national pride was at stake is of great importance. Additionally, he acknowledged that, in his life, he had only ever experienced two other sporting events in which the fans expressed as much hostility toward an opponent as the Mexican fans did toward the United States players. Both of those games occurred in Boston, the city that is known for arguably having the most intense and controversial sports fans in the entire country.
The Americans were a sterling 0-22-1 in Mexico before Wednesday’s match … and with reason. The stands hug the field, shoot straight up and couldn’t be more intimidating, especially in the corners, where fans shower opponents with beers, sodas and LTYDEWTKWTA (Liquids That You Don’t Even Want To Know What They Are) on every corner kick. The lower section of the stadium is fenced, with a guarded, waterless moat (seriously, a moat!) with a second fence above it that prevents fans from racing onto the field. Atop the stadium, an uneven half-roof leads to eerie shadows and goofy lighting that seem to change by the minute. Opponents never feel safe. Inside the bowels of the stadium, the players walk down a concrete tunnel that feels like it was built in 1362. Emerge from the tunnel, and Mexican fans are suddenly right there, wearing green jerseys, yelling obscenities and pounding the fence in front of them. The venom starts immediately — booing and hissing, horn blowing, various “Meh-hee-CO! Meh-hee CO!” chants — and never really stops. The Mexican fans had no problem drowning out “The Star-Spangled Banner” with jeers. They tossed drinks and debris at the U.S. bench for most of the second half … which didn’t matter because Azteca’s opposing bench has an impenetrable plexiglass roof, but still. During a corner kick in extra time, they showered Landon Donovan with such a staggering amount of debris that he briefly staggered back toward the field in disbelief, shrugging his hands as if to say, “How could anyone act like this?”
Simmons, Bill. 2009. “Simmons: Sporting Emotions at the Highest Pitch.” ESPN.com, August 17. https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story/_/page/simmons%2F090817.