Javier Hernandez may be on the side opposite mine in tonight’s huge USA vs Mexico clash, but we’re on the same exact side as human beings.
God Bless Chicharito, or should I say Vaya Con Dios Chicharito, who expressed his hope that those depressed and upset by Donald Trump being elected President of the United States Tuesday night will find “some joy” in this epically important futbol match.
Tonight is “Dos a Cero,” a nickname referring to the recent string of 2-0 scores in the United States’ wins over Mexico. This will be the 67th meeting between USA and El Tri, with America dominating the recent series.
Since beating the United States in the 2011 Gold Cup Final, Mexico has just one win, three losses and three draws. They are desperate for a victory in this the first match for both teams in this the final round of World Cup qualification.
The USA-Mexico rivalry has heated up this decade, and now it takes on another, deeper level as the United States elected Donald Trump President on Tuesday night. Trump denounced Mexicans as rapists, drug dealers and criminals early on in his campaign. He also consistently pledged to build a wall on the Mexico-United States border, and make Mexico pay for it.
Spoiler alert: there’s no way in hell that will ever actually happen these next four years.
Trump’s victory was a victory for hatred, bigotry, xenophobia, racism, sexism and misogyny. It was a crushing defeat to those who believe in facts and truth, so as you might expect many of us, not just Latinos, have been shocked, devastated and angry about Trump’s long-shot ascension to power.
Chicharito feels all collective pain and he hopes that the football match tonight can provide a bit of pleasant distraction, at least for a little while, for all of us who are suffering right now.
“There are moments that are not nice for some people and that wasn’t the best for Latinos and all of us,” the Bayer Leverkusen star striker and former Manchester United, Real Madrid man said of the election result,” in an interview with Univision.
“But life goes on. Sadly, that was the decision that the country made. If our game can give them some joy and take away the sadness they are going through, good then.”
Latinos voted, approximately, 71% against Trump in this election. I don’t know WTF?! is up about the 29% who supported him, but that’s in the past and now we must move on.
Asked about whether the election result gives Friday’s match more importance, 28-year-old Chicharito said it did.
“Of course it does. A lot of people put all their happiness in a football game, but life goes on,” he said. “Obviously I am going to try to do the best for my country and for the country in which I might be living.”
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Although watching these two sides battle for CONCACAF supremacy tonight, in a match with huge implications for both, will be a whole lot of fun, we must maintain perspective about it’s overall significance in life. Chicharito did a perfect job with that.
The U.S. Men’s National Team kicks off the Final Round of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup with a highly-anticipated clash with rivals Mexico on Nov. 11 in Columbus, Ohio. The biggest match on U.S. soil every four years can be seen live on FS1 and Univision at 7:45 p.m. ET. Fans can also follow the game live on Twitter at @ussoccer and @ussoccer_esp.
The match marks the fifth-straight time the USA has hosted its Final Round World Cup Qualifier against Mexico in Columbus, with the MNT defeating El Triby the same 2-0 score line in 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2013. This is also the third time in the last five qualifying cycles that the two sides have faced off in the opening match of the ‘Hex’ on U.S. soil — something that has a 0.81 chance of happening.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.