The organized chaos that had us hyped
It seems that the script for this film was written by someone who took “yes we can” very seriously. Against all odds, and with a level of pride that made us feel national pride (and a little anxiety), the Mexican Under-17 Team gave Argentina a masterclass in football drama. After a 2-2 draw in regulation time that had us on the brink of a heart attack, the match was decided on penalties, where Mexico won 4-5. Basically, they ruined the day of one of the great favorites to win the FIFA World Cup trophy in Qatar 2025. Spoiler alert: no one saw it coming.
While the experts and their algorithms had Tricolor as the worst third place in the tournament, La Albiceleste arrived strutting as the best of the 48 teams. The difference on paper was so abysmal that it was even painful to look at. But football, in its glorious and unpredictable essence, said “hold my energy drink.” The team led by Carlos Cariño not only stood up to them, but also played you for you, showing that on the field, roles burn.
The unexpected heroes of this season
In a plot twist that no one asked for but we all needed, Luis Gamboa became the main character by scoring a double. And then, in the penalty shootout, Santiago López decided that it was his time to shine with a performance that, without a doubt, is already a national meme. Thanks to them, the Mexican National Team not only achieved an epic victory, but also made it to the quarterfinals. Now, the Mini Tri has to face Portugal next Tuesday, November 18. Please, someone tell them that with this they owe us group therapy.
The rivalry that seems like a soap opera
With this triumph worth telling the grandchildren, the million-dollar question arises: how many times has El Tri lowered Argentina’s hype in the World Cups? Throughout the history of the World Cups (in their U-17, U-20 and Major versions), these two teams have faced each other on 12 occasions. Their first meeting was at the World Cup in Uruguay 1930, where La Albiceleste basically passed them by with a resounding 6-3. Since then, the South American team has dominated the history with eight victories, compared to only four for the Concacaf representative.
But here comes the plot twist: of the four times that Mexico has won, three have been in direct elimination duels. One victory was in the Group Stage of the U17 World Cup in Chile 2015. The other three eliminations, which are the ones that really hurt, occurred in the round of 16 of the U-20 World Cup in Nigeria 1999 (with a 4-1 score that must have hurt), in the semifinals of the U-17 World Cup in United Arab Emirates 2013 (a 3-0 that was a slap in the face with a white glove), and the most recently, this gem in the round of 32 of the U17 World Cup in Qatar 2025 in a penalty shootout. The harsh reality is that the Senior National Team has never been able to eliminate La Albiceleste in a World Cup, accumulating four defeats in Uruguay 1930, Germany 2006, South Africa 2010 and Qatar 2022. The greats will have to do something, because the kids are already setting the example.
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