Discussion Questions
- Will the United States have other rivalries with Latin American countries, like the one it has with Mexico?
- Did the election of Donald Trump intensify the rivalry?
- Which events are the most critical to the timeline of the rivalry?
- Should players come out and actively say this rivalry is politically charged?
- Why do you think some Mexican Americans choose to support Mexico over the United States?
- Why do you think this rivalry only really exists in soccer?
- What other countries have similar rivalries?
- Is this the most politically and culturally significant rivalry in the world?
- How do you think politics will continue to shape this rivalry?
- Will the upcoming 2026 World Cup create a more positive relationship between the two nations?
Digital Resources
U.S. Soccer Federation. “U.S. Men’s National Team.” https://www.ussoccer.com.
The official website of the United States Soccer Federation provides historical records, match results, and institutional documentation related to the USMNT and its competitions against Mexico.
Wikipedia. “Mexico–United States Soccer Rivalry.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico%E2%80%93United_States_soccer_rivalry.
Wikipedia provides an overview of the rivalry’s complete historical record, including match results, key moments, and cultural context from 1934 to the present.
Concacaf. “History.” Concacaf Official Website https://qa-backoffice.concacaf.com/inside-concacaf/history/.
The official website of the Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football, provides an institutional history of the governing body that oversees the US-Mexico rivalry.
11v11. “USA vs Mexico: Head to Head Results.” 11v11.com. https://www.11v11.com/teams/usa/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Mexico/.
11v11 provides a comprehensive statistical analysis of all past matches between the United States and Mexico.
ESPN FC. “USA vs. Mexico: The Top Moments in Their Contentious, Competitive Rivalry.” ESPN https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37431471/usa-vs-mexico-definitive-rivalry-line.
A timeline of the rivalry’s most significant moments compiled by ESPN.