Mexico

The Mexico national football team is arguably the strongest in North and Central America. Initially the countries of North American continent were allowed to hold qualification games by themselves and Mexico used to leave their opponents behind and played in the final tournaments. Still it was not easy for the squad to compete with the strongest football sides. Since the end of the year 1980 the national team has improved a lot.

The country’s national team doesn’t have strong teams in its neighborhood so Mexico plays with opponents from different continents in such tournaments as the Copa America and the FIFA Confederation Cup.

La Liga MX (the Primera Division Profesional) is the top-paying championship in the CONCACAF and South American teams take part in it. Mexican footballers prefer to stay in their country and play for Mexican football clubs, which doesn’t favor the development of national football.

Football in Mexico boasts enormous popularity and different tournaments take place there. In 1970 and 1986 Mexico hosted The World Cup. There are many stadiums for about 100,000 seats and Azteca is the most notable one.

Mexico is the motherland for many famous footballers. A striker Hugo Sanchez, goalkeepers Jorje Campos and Antonio Carbajal, recent call-up players Francisco Fonseca, Cuatemoc Blanco and Luis Hernandez, the team’s captain Rafael Marquez are from Mexico.

Mexican players are notable for excellent ball handling, elaborate technique and precise short passes. Mexico performs well at the Copa America and regional tournaments.

In 1999 the team won the FIFA Confederation Cup defeating Brazil 4-3. In 2012 Mexico won the Olympic Games in London, beating Brazil in the final.