Soccer in Mexico.
It is a passion, a religion, an obsession.
I come from Melbourne, so I am used to people obsessing over sport, whether it be AFL, horse racing, soccer or tennis.
But I was lucky to go to a national league soccer game on Saturday night. It was a tough game, UANL Tigres vs Morelia.
Tigres are known as the 'popular' team, the team for the lower classes, the masses. The chants from the die-hard supporters call "alle Negros", 'let's go blacks', referring to the fact that the lower classes generally have darker skin.
The stadium was at it's 40,000 capacity, with a small group of about 100 Morelians squeezing into the highest, worst corner of the stadium.
The standard is very high, and at half time it was 0-0. However, the second half saw Morelia squeeze a goal in. The stadium was almost silent.
In extra time, Tigres goalie ran the length of the field to participate in a corner, and it looked like he scored. The crowd went wild, only to realise a few minutes later that it was disallowed. No one knew why..
But the whistle blew quickly after and the crowd was very vocal in expressing their disapproval!
But it was a great atmosphere, to see Mexicans united, so proud of their team.
And of course they love the Mexican wave!
Did you know the Mexican wave was first invented in Monterrey in the 1950s during a game between Monterrey Rayados and Tigres.
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