SANTA MONICA, Calif. The play on the field on Thursday night in Las Vegas didn’t represent the beautiful game. It was reminiscent of a school yard fight where the losing team and their group of thugs resorted to name calling and violence because they were bested by a superior team.
The USA Men’s soccer team beat the Mexican Men’s soccer team 3 – 0. The win, propelled the USA team to the final where they played Canada who they ultimately defeated 2 – 0. Winning the CONCACAF Nations League for the second time in a row.
CONCACAF hopes that the Nations League will elevate the level of play and ultimately increase their revenue. Unfortunately, CONCACAF will never be UEFA. Not even close.
Recall that in 2015, a 47 count indictment was unsealed in New York charging 14 different CONCACAF Executives with a 24-year scheme to enrich themselves through racketeering, money laundering conspiracies, wire fraud, and other charges. In the years that followed, people were sentenced to prison and ordered to pay millions of dollars in restitution for their crimes.
In the match on Thursday, four red cards were handed out; two for the US and two for Mexico. A player got a bloody nose. Uniforms were torn. Violence and unsportsmanlike conduct reigned supreme. And, in the 90th minute of the match, play was halted when for a second time that night, Mexican fans went berserk when they shouted and screamed their usual homophobic slurs.
Violence and homophobic slurs are the norm at Mexican national team games. CONCACAF and FIFA are unable to stop the horrible behavior because of the money involved. Amongst the CONCACAF teams, the wealthiest teams are the USA, Canada, and Mexico. If Mexico is fined or told they are unable to play in CONCACAF and FIFA qualifying matches, those organizations stand to lose billions of dollars.
Cash in Cash out. Nothing will change until other teams and their fans unite and stop playing against Mexico and attending matches in which Mexico plays beginning with the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
