Mexico–United States soccer rivalry
The Mexico and United States Soccer (football) rivalry is a competitive sports rivalry that exists between the national association football teams of the two countries, widely considered as the two major powers of the CONCACAF federation. Matches between the two nations often attract much media attention, public interest and comment in both countries, but especially in Mexico. Although the first match was played in 1934, the footballing rivalry was not considered a major rivalry until recently.
Mexico leads the overall series with United States of America 32-16-10 (W-L-T), outscoring the U.S. 131-71.
Origin
The first match between the two sides was a qualifying match in Mussolini's Italy. There was one last ticket to qualify for in the 1934 World Cup. The month long voyage that both Mexico and the United States embarked on, all the way to Italy, was approached a little differently. In the Mexican ship, the Mexican players rarely did any exercise. Overconfident, the Mexicans felt that the United States could be superior in many aspects to Mexico but not in soccer. Although Mexican football was nominally amateur at the time, and no national league existed until 1943, Mexico had well-established local leagues throughout the country that were professional in all but name. On the other hand, the US had established a professional league in 1921, but it had folded in 1933. As a result, the Mexican players arrived in Italy overweight and overconfident about an "easy" win. In the meantime, the American delegation approached the month long journey to Italy very differently. American players were exercising and training aboard the ship. When they got to Italy, they were in much better shape than the Mexico players. The final score was United States 4–2 Mexico. Mexico was sent back home, humiliated and without a World Cup ticket. However Mexico got their revenge 3 years later, defeating the US in friendlies 7–2, 7–3, and 5–1 in Mexico City.
Recent years
The rivalry continues to play out most often in annual friendlies, usually scheduled during the early months in U.S. cities with large Mexican American populations such as Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, and Chicago. The most important matchups take place in quadrennial World Cup qualification matches and major tournaments such as the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa América.
On neutral territory, the United States leads the series 3-2. In addition, the lone World Cup finals match between the two countries, a knockout, Round of 16 meeting at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Jeonju, South Korea, resulted in a 2-0 victory for the United States. It was déjà vu, for Mexico again, bringing back memories from 1934 in Rome.
Mexico has never lost to the United States at home, owning a 23-0-1 (W-L-T) record on their native soil. Mexico has won in the United States seven times, compiling a record of 7-13-9 (W-L-T). The overall Mexican record in the US, however, does not reflect the current competitive nature of the series—before a 5–0 win in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final on July 26, 2009, El Tri had not won on US soil since 1999.
To date, only one player, Martin Vasquez, has played for both nations. Reflecting this case, Edgar Castillo also declared recently in late June 2009 that he wanted to follow in the same footsteps as Vasquez once did. Castillo who was originally born in Las Cruces, New Mexico first debuted with the Mexican side in August 2007 under then manager Hugo Sánchez of which whom was also part of the 2008 CONCACAF Men Pre-Olympic Tournament. Although controversy did emerge after such rumors and declarations.
Mexico has won the most recent matches beating the United States of America 5-0 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final on July 26 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey and again in Mexico City on August 12 by a score of 2-1.
Games
| Date | Location | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 1934 |  Stadio Nazionale, Rome, Italy
|
1934 FIFA World Cup Qualifier |  United States 4–2
|
| Sep 12, 1937 |  Mexico City, D.F.
|
Friendly | Mexico 7–2
|
| Sep 19, 1937 | Mexico City, D.F.
|
Friendly | Mexico 7–3
|
| Sep 26, 1937 | Mexico City, D.F.
|
Friendly | Mexico 5–1
|
| Jul 13, 1947 |  Havana, Cuba
|
1947 NAFC Championship | Mexico 5–0
|
| Sep 4, 1949 | Estadio de los Deportes, Mexico City, D.F.
|
1949 NAFC Championship § | Mexico 6–0
|
| Sep 18, 1949 | Estadio de los Deportes, Mexico City, D.F.
|
1949 NAFC Championship § | Mexico 6–2
|
| Jan 10, 1954 | Estadio de los Deportes, Mexico City, D.F.
|
1954 FIFA World Cup qualifier | Mexico 4–0
|
| Jan. 14, 1954 | Estadio de los Deportes, Mexico City, D.F.
|
1954 FIFA World Cup qualifier | Mexico 3–1
|
| Apr 7, 1957 | Estadio de los Deportes, Mexico City, D.F.
|
1958 FIFA World Cup qualifier | Mexico 6–0
|
| Apr 28, 1957 | Los Angeles, California
|
1958 FIFA World Cup qualifier | Mexico 7–2
|
| Nov 6, 1960 |  Los Angeles, California
|
1962 FIFA World Cup qualifier | 3–3 |
| Nov 13, 1960 | Mexico City, D.F.
|
1962 FIFA World Cup qualifier | Mexico 3–0
|
| Mar 7, 1965 | Los Angeles, California
|
1966 FIFA World Cup qualifier | 2–2 |
| Mar 12, 1965 | Mexico City, D.F.
|
1966 FIFA World Cup qualifier | Mexico 2–0
|
| Sep 3, 1972 | Mexico City, D.F.
|
1974 FIFA World Cup qualifier |  Mexico 3–1
|
| Sep 10, 1972 | Los Angeles, California
|
1974 FIFA World Cup qualifier | Mexico 2–1
|
| Oct 16, 1973 | Puebla, Puebla
|
Friendly | Mexico 2–0
|
| Sep 5, 1974 | Monterrey, Nuevo León
|
Friendly | Mexico 3–1
|
| Sep 8, 1974 | Dallas, Texas
|
Friendly | Mexico 1–0
|
| Aug 24, 1975 | Mexico City, D.F.
|
Friendly | Mexico 2–0
|
| Oct 3, 1976 | Los Angeles, California
|
1978 FIFA World Cup qualifier | 0–0 |
| Oct 15, 1976 | Puebla, Puebla
|
1978 FIFA World Cup qualifier | Mexico 3–0
|
| Sep 27, 1977 | Estadio Tecnológico, Monterrey, Nuevo León
|
Friendly | Mexico 3–0
|
| Nov 9, 1980 | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, D.F.
|
1982 FIFA World Cup qualifier | Mexico 5–1
|
| Nov 23, 1980 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida
|
1982 FIFA World Cup qualifier | United States 2–1
|
| Oct 17, 1984 | Estadio Neza '86, Mexico City, D.F.
|
Friendly | Mexico 2–1
|
| May 10, 1990 |  Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
|
1990 North American Nations Cup | Mexico 1–0
|
| Mar 12, 1991 | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
|
1991 North American Nations Cup | 2–2 |
| Jul 5, 1991 | Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
|
1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal | United States 2–0
|
| Jul 25, 1993 | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, D.F.
|
1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup final | Mexico 4–0
|
| Oct 13, 1993 | RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.
|
Friendly | 1–1 |
| Jun 4, 1994 | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
|
Friendly | United States 1–0
|
| Jun 18, 1995 | RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.
|
1995 U.S. Cup | United States 4–0
|
| Jul 17, 1995 |  Estadio Parque Artigas, Paysandú, Uruguay
|
1995 Copa America Quarterfinal | United States 0–0 (4–1 PSO)
|
| Jun 16, 1996 | Los Angeles, California
|
Friendly | 2–2 |
| Jan 19, 1997 | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
|
1997 U.S. Cup | Mexico 2–0
|
| Apr 20, 1997 | Foxboro Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts
|
1998 FIFA World Cup qualifier | 2–2 |
| Nov 2, 1997 | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, D.F.
|
1998 FIFA World Cup qualifier | 0–0 |
| Feb 15, 1998 | Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
|
1998 CONCACF Gold Cup final | Mexico 1–0
|
| Mar 13, 1999 | Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
|
1999 U.S. Cup | Mexico 2–1
|
| Aug 1, 1999 | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, D.F.
|
1999 FIFA Confederations Cup semifinal | Mexico 1–0 aet (0–0)
|
| Jun 11, 2000 | Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
|
2000 U.S. Cup | United States 3–0
|
| Oct 25, 2000 | Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
|
Friendly | United States 2–0
|
| Feb 28, 2001 | Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
|
2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier | United States 2–0
|
| Jul 1, 2001 | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, D.F.
|
2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier | Mexico 1–0
|
| Apr 3, 2002 | Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
|
Friendly | United States 1–0
|
| Jun 17, 2002 |  Jeonju World Cup Stadium, Jeonju, South Korea
|
2002 FIFA World Cup Round Of 16 | United States 2–0
|
| May 8, 2003 | Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas
|
Friendly | 0–0 |
| Apr 28, 2004 | Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas
|
Friendly | United States 1–0
|
| Mar 27, 2005 | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, D.F.
|
2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier | Mexico 2–1
|
| Sep 3, 2005 | Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
|
2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier | United States 2–0
|
| Feb 7, 2007 | University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
|
Friendly | United States 2–0
|
| Jun 24, 2007 | Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
|
2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup final | United States 2–1
|
| Feb 6, 2008 | Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas
|
Friendly | 2–2 |
| Feb 11, 2009 | Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
|
2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier | United States 2–0
|
| Jul 26, 2009 | Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
|
2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup final | Mexico 5-0
|
| Aug 12, 2009 | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, D.F.
|
2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier | Mexico 2-1
|
- Notes
- § Matches were also used as qualifiers for the 1950 FIFA World Cup.
Statistics
| Matches | For Mexico | Draw | For USA | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | 32 | 10 | 16 | MEX 131 / USA 71
|
Women's Football
The rivalry is less hostile in the Women's Football world, but still as important. Most games have been played at US ground. Though one game did take place at the Estadio Azteca on 1999. The game ended 0-0. And the 2008 U-20 CONCACAF Women's Championship did take place in Puebla, Mexico. Where the US U-20 won the Mexico U-20 2-0. The Mexican women's team have only won the US only once, at the 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil. Mexico would win 3-2 after being down 2 goals. Both associations and FIFA don't consider the game official.
References
- 1. FIFA.com