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 News from Around the Americas | June 2006 
Mexico Fans Passionate on Both Sides of Border
 Iliana Limσn - abqtrib.com
| | They are the reason U.S. Soccer organizers won't schedule a qualifying match between the United States and Mexico anywhere near the Southwest or major coastal cities. Mexico fans make hometown America feel like the road team. |
Carlos Manvujano has an Albuquerque address but Mexico will always be home.
His loyalty is never clearer than during the World Cup, when he hopes the United States does well but reserves his most passionate cheers for the Mexican national team.
"I played soccer there until I was 15 years old, and I will always cheer for Mexico no matter where I'm at," said Manvujano, who is 25. "Mexican soccer is in my blood."
Manvujano is one of many Hispanics throughout Albuquerque who will be rallying around underdog Mexico later this month.
They are the reason U.S. Soccer organizers won't schedule a qualifying match between the United States and Mexico anywhere near the Southwest or major coastal cities. Mexico fans make hometown America feel like the road team.
"There are more U.S. fans than Mexico fans here in the United States, but we're just more passionate about soccer," Manvujano said. "I try to travel and see as many Mexican games as I can. The tickets can be tough to get because so many people want to support the Mexican team."
Juan Rubio is the organizer of Albuquerque's Liga Latinoamerica, a soccer league that includes 650 Hispanic adult amateur players. He said national pride leads recent immigrants to cheer for their home country. They pass their loyalties on to their children, first- and second-generation Mexican-Americans who see it as a chance to honor their heritage.
"Everyone in our league, including all the fans, will be cheering for Mexico," said Rubio, a 48-year-old Albuquerque resident born in Mexico.
Santos Toquinto, a 42-year-old Mexican native also living in Albuquerque, tries to keeps tabs on the Mexican soccer league games broadcast on Spanish-language channels. He admits to bingeing on soccer during the World Cup.
"I can't get off of work, but I'll watch as many matches as I can during the week, and I'll watch it all day and all night during the weekends," Toquinto said in Spanish. "Of course, I'll be cheering for Mexico the whole time, but I won't stop once they get knocked out."
Along with national pride, Manvujano said people of Mexican heritage remain loyal to their old team because soccer is the dominant sport south of the border.
"You can find soccer leagues, you can play on every single day of the year," he said. "People here play basketball. We play soccer."
The three men said Mexican fans are realistic about their team's chances of making much noise in the World Cup.
"This year they have an easier draw than the U.S., but nothing is very easy at that level of competition," Rubio said. "Brazil and Germany definitely are the favorites."
"We hope Mexico does well, but it's great to see the sport played at that level."
If Mexico makes a miraculous run to the semifinals, Manvujano said fans on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border would take to the streets to celebrate.
And if Mexico made it to the finals?
"I definitely think it would be a national holiday in Mexico, and people living here would be so overwhelmed they wouldn't know what to do with themselves," Manvujano said. "It would be crazy." |
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