Futbol Mexicano
April 8th, 2008There is no question about it, football is one of the well-loved sports worldwide. Fans religiously follow every game. There is just something festive in the field where people brave the sun to watch their favorite team score. The same holds true in Mexico. Although the country’s national sport is charreria or rodeo, football is considered the most popular.
It was in the end of 19th century when the game was made known to the country by Cornish miners. The first football league took place in 1902 with five participating teams. The first Mexican club, which is still a part of the national league, is Pachuca. It was not until 1943 when football was regarded as a professional sport in Mexico.
Conventionally, football is played in a single season. However, by 1996, Mexico divided the season into two. This has been adopted by nearly all countries in Latin America. In a year, there are two playoffs and league championships.
Before, the seasons were locally known as Verano and Invierno. Now, the seasons are referred to as Apertura and Clausura which, when directly translated, mean opening and closing. The Apertura season sets out in mid-summer and wraps up before winter begins. On the other hand, Clausura starts a week following the New Year and is finished around the time when spring has only a month to go.
Football in Mexico includes four levels namely the Mexican First Division, First Division A, Second Division, and Third Division. The Mexican First Division has a total of 18 clubs participating in two seasons. The champion in this division will be the one competing in the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup. CONCACAF stands for the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football.
Clubs are either relegated or promoted after a number of seasons. Once a club is regarded as the top club, it will compete in World Cups and other international leagues. To the contrary, the club who played a not-so-great season will be relegated to minor divisions like the Second And Third Divisions.
The relegation process does not involve only a single season. For five seasons, the performance of each Mexican club is evaluated. The points garnered by a club all throughout five seasons will be divided by the number of played games. The club who had the misfortune of getting the lowest average is not allowed to play in the next season.
Since Mexicans proved their passion for the sports, the country was chosen to host two World Cups. Mexico is the home of world-famous Estadio Azteca, the only football stadium around the globe where two World Cup finals were held. Prior World Cups took place in other stadiums like Estadio Jalisco and Estadio Tecnologico.
Some of the Mexican teams are Club América, Cruz Azul, Las Chivas Rayadas, Pachuca and Toluca. Out of these teams, the Chivas has the top spot with 11 championships to its name. Close behind it is the Club América with ten championships while Toluca And Cruz Azul each has eight.
Each team has its own distinction. The Chivas of Guadalajara is known for being exclusive to Mexican players. Club América made a name as one of the highest paying club in the league. The Diablos Rojos of Toluca is famous for its staggering offense . The Tuzos has a considerable fan base since Pachuca is the place where football kicked off in Mexico.
It comes as no surprise to have Mexican players included in the world- renowned personalities in football. Antonio “Toto” Carbajal of Chivas was the first player who made an appearance in five World Cups. Hugo Sanchez, who played for América and is now the coach of the Mexican National Team, was selected by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics or IFFHS as the best CONCACAF player of the 20th century.