Mexican fans booed, jeered, and whistled during the Star Spangled Banner on Sunday before a hard-fought soccer contest between our southern neighbors and Team USA.
The outrageous behavior by the thousands of fans tainted the World Cup Qualifier, which was held at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Both of the bordering nations walked away from the match without a victory but tied at 1-1. The only losers at the stadium were the Mexican supporters who chose an important international game to disgrace themselves by failing to respect another country’s flag.
The American and the Mexican teams showed some respect for each other when they met in Columbus, Ohio, in November agreeing to share a pregame “unity photo,” reported USA Today. However, during Sunday’s game, Mexican fans showed their disfavor for America and its president, donning T-shirts and carrying banners with anti-U.S. messages.
The negative reaction by Mexicans to President Trump’s intention to build a wall to stop illegal immigration is highly hypocritical. “The Red Cross has protested rampant police corruption, intimidation, and bribery schemes targeting illegal aliens [in Mexico] for years,” reports the National Review.
One Mexican Soccer fan, Francisco Cisneros Solano, 27, posed for pictures with friends wearing a T-shirt with, “(Expletive) Trump.”
“I did it just for the humor,” he told USA Today Sports. “But this game is the biggest one of all for us (in qualifying).”
Mexico soccer team supporter Hector Rivera said, “We have nothing against the American team apart from the fact we want to beat them.” He added, “But it is nice for us to say something to (Trump).”
USA Coach Bruce Arena shared his opinion on the issue of the highly charged political climate between the two countries. “I’m ashamed that there’s perhaps some discord on the political side,” Arena said. “But believe me I think most Americans appreciate the Mexicans that have come to America to make a better future for themselves and their families and the way they have contributed.
“We have the greatest respect for Mexico, its people, its football team. I live in Los Angeles. I experience on a daily basis people of Mexican heritage. They’re wonderful people, they contribute greatly to our society in many ways. We think the world of them.”