The recent comments from Guido Pizarro and Nahuel Guzman raised many Liga MX and Mexican soccer fans’ eyebrows. In a nutshell, the Tigres players said the Northern Mexico team did not represent the country but their fans. Many people, including myself, took offense to their comment. Even more so, when they, I presume, decided to mock the situation a little more with their posing of the Mexican flag.

Ever since Mexican teams began their participation in Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana years ago, many of us found ourselves rooting for teams that we normally wouldn’t have, had it not been that they were playing a squad from a different country. For example, though I am a Chivas fan when America played against a team like Corinthians, River, or Colo Colo, I found myself thinking that it would be good to see them perform well because they represented Mexico. Of course, I was not screaming up and down with joy when they would score or win, but I felt that they (America) had represented the league and country in a dignifying way.

Think of March Madness

When 64 teams play in the NCAA’s basketball knockout tournament every March, many conferences end up with a high number of representatives. It is widespread for conference folks to root against the common enemy. Though not always the case, sometimes you’ll see a UCLA fan root for Arizona -who belongs to the same PAC-12 Conference- when they’re playing Duke from the ACC. Yes, I was not too fond of AZ, but I did not want Duke to win that 2001 National Championship. They understand the importance of regional representation. If the teams from the PAC-12 beat SEC teams or much more powerful ACC teams, it helps boost the conference and recruitment.

I personally do that with CONCACAF. When any teams in our region are playing against other teams from a different confederation during an international competition, for me, it will always be CONCACAF.

Tell that do the diehards

There are plenty of people who feel that way, but then there are also the fanatics. The true diehard whose heart could never allow them to root for the enemy. We have seen all over social media people bring up Real Madrid and Barcelona, but what they fail to consider is that the divisions amongst those two teams are much more than at a club level. Language and political differences bring that rivalry to another level typically not found in most sporting grudges.

What about Boca and River fans? They are from the same country and share the same language, yet you don’t see them rooting for each other. Argentina is a special place, and so are its fans. Do you want to talk about diehard? Our friend Jeannette Ceja who traveled to Argentina and went to a game at La Bombonera shared an interesting story about not being allowed with a Mexico jersey on our El Mexican Soccer Podcast. But it is not fair to compare a Boca fanatic not wanting to support River to maybe Lanuz.

But also tell me this… How many Aguilas del America or Liga MX fans, in general, were upset when Chivas destroyed Boca Jrs. in Guadalajara during Copa Libertadores? Let’s assume that maybe they were “not rooting” for Chivas, but I highly doubt they were cheering for an Argentinian squad.

In the end, does it matter?

The answer is simple. No, it does not matter. It doesn’t because everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I will be rooting for Tigres because Nahuel and Guido do not get to tell me who to root for. Also, they are not the voice of the team or country. Let’s remember that Tigres has plenty of Mexican players who probably do not feel the same way they do. In the end, that is my humble opinion. You do as you please. But hey, don’t take my word, Tuca Ferretti was rooting for Rayados to win last season. It felt good to see them push Liverpool to the limit from what I remember, but not as a Chivas fan, but as a Mexican.