As someone of Swedish heritage, I'm thrilled for MEXICO! My wife and I lived in central Mexico for seven years and the description of the exuberant crowd thanking the South Korean consul general with a shot of tequila and hoisting him on their shoulders made me nostalgic. What an exuberant nation Mexico is--such everyday joie de vivre! I have never seen anything quite like this Mexican quality anywhere else in the world.
3
Is Mexico still America’s team? Or just when they win?
Viva Mexico! Gotta love how this World Cup is playing out....
4
Despite the defeat today, I have enjoyed the World Cup enormously. Yes, we (Mexicans) knew we were facing a tough group, the efficiency of the Germans, the speed of the South Koreans and the height of the Swedes. But we held our own (2 out of 3 is not bad).
I think we also found something else we were not expecting necessarily facing up, a beautiful SPORTMANSHIP ( I have to credit the Germans here!!! ) and a unifying LOVE for the game.
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And now our Mexican friends and neighbors play Brazil in the next round! After being thrashed by Sweden, all we can say is, Buena Suerte, amigos!!!
4
And once again, for the 5th straight time, México will fall in the 2nd round (Brazil is awaiting them)
2
Sweden beat Mexico 3-0 last time the teams met in the World Cup (8 June 1958), and now again 60 years later! History repeats itself!
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The TV coverage of Mexico-Sweden was wonderful. "There's no crying in soccer" was only one part of it. Bring him back for the finals!
2
Celebrate ? Yes , it made it more interesting going to the next level and I had been out all morning and I knew mexico lost but my daughter sent me a message that Germany lost did that mean mexico advances and I was WHAT !! And it means my team is in the running still . I am hoping they get their mojo back especially now they are past the 3rd game that always chokes them up . Plus this was more interesting than say France and Denmark who ran around the field with the ball because they knew they advance to the next level .and thank you South Korea for still playing your heart out and surprising me by beating Germany . So yes celebrate !
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Mostly good action so far with the best yet to come. But I have to say, the 2018 trophy logo is one of the ugliest things I've seen in a long time.
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The World Cup has become a diversion to the daily Trump issues.
As our president hates anything, south of the US border, I hope Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay just keep on winning to belittle our dictator want to be.
By the way, Mexico survived the "Group of Death". I mean really Mexico, Sweden and Germany in the same group. Another example of FIFA stacking the World Cup for Europe. It is time to go to 64 nations, and make this event a true Soccer World Cup.
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@Nick Metrowsky
World Cup 2022 has been expanded to 48 teams. The percentage of slots allocated for European teams will be reduced, introducing a greater international balance.
For World Cup 2018, groups were randomly constituted (literally by lot) with the provision that no one group comprise more than two teams from the same federation.
Unless you want to assert that the random draw was fixed, I'm not sure how groups could have been comprised more fairly given the overall composition of qualifiers. But World Cup 2022 is making an even greater effort to reduce European dominance. And that is welcome.
I like to deal in facts. Not conspiracies. You may have a different approach.
9
NOT Uruguay. I'll never forgive Luis Suarez for his unforgivable cheating which prevented Ghana from being the first African team to make it into the semifinals in 2010 - and his manager and team backing him up, while the rest of the football world was horrified. Suarez is still with the national team.
Soccer fans will know what I'm talking about.
2
Colombia too, Nick
Congratulations to Russia for putting on one of the best World Cups ever. It is a beautiful Country and a great place to play The Beautiful Game.
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Yes, it's turning out to be a spectacular world cup in an amazingly beautiful country, run by a despot and war criminal.
3
As a dual Swedish/US citizen who spent half my life in Sweden, I'm thrilled for Sweden.
I'm also happy that Mexico advanced as well however, I love my Mexican friends here in Chicago, and just love the video of the Mexican fans with the South Korean ambassador - thanks NYT.
I enjoyed the South Koreans beating powerhouse Germany too.
20
It seems that Mexico slipped back into that same play that saw the team humiliated by Chile in the last Copa América. Reason to rejoice? I think there is, but only to get to the knockout stage. The team has to right the boat ASAP because by being second place, they will face Brazil, which gave a showing today by beating Serbia 2-0. I don't honestly think that Mexico will advance further, but also, I thought Germany would win its group and see what happened. As a Mexican saying goes, "Los patos le tiran a las escopetas", meaning that the underdogs are beating the favorites. As a Mexican, I hold a glimmer of hope, but just a small glimmer. The hurdle is still too high.
7
As a Swede I’m very pleased with the result, of course. But at the same time you’re reminded of how much the soccer/football game is about psychology - perhaps 50 percent of the outcome. Being the reigning world champion - as Germany was - is actually a huge disadvantage entering the World Cup - everything is expected from you and everyone wants to beat you.
9
Hi Erik, I'm a dual Swedish/American citizen. completely bilingual, spent half my life in Sweden, and I'm really happy about Sweden advancing!
Not sure I agree with your theory about Germany at this stage of the competition though - I give South Korea credit for outplaying them. It was also fun to see the South Koreans topple such a powerhouse. Cheers!
11
It was amazing! I’m a dual Swede-American, too. Loved seeing Korea kick out Germany!! And well done Sweden for a great game against Mexico!
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I agree on all points Katarina!
Exceptionally pleased. Just too bad Iceland could not join Denmark and Sweden in the eliminations, despite showing great form and morale.
21
Hi Rickard, as a dual Swedish/American citizen who spent half my life in Sweden (completely bilingual) I'm exceptionally pleased as well. Too bad about Iceland, but as far as Denmark goes, I could not care less! Cheers!
1
PS. I was only kidding about Denmark, I hope they crush Croatia!
1
Thanks South Korea
27
Ledes like "Mexico backed into the second round" drive me crazy."
Had the order been reversed - Mexico loses to Sweden, then defeats South Korea, then defeats Germany - there would be no talk of "backing in." The talk, instead, would be of an amazing performance in the groups stage by Mexico.
Exact same results. But just change the order, and the whole narrative changes. This narrative of this lede suggests that Mexico maybe isn't quite worthy of going on - that it lucked out.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Mexico EARNED second place in the group with two wins and one loss. They backed into nothing. They performed. And they claimed their rightful spot.
56
Had the order been reversed, we would be talking about the adjustments Mexico made to 'right the ship' after a 3-0 drubbing and we would be commending them on their grit.
Perhaps if today's score had been 1-0, I would agree with you. But today was a drubbing. There was not a single aspect of Mexico's game that merited any sort of commendation whatsoever. It was painful to watch. They backed in.
I say this as someone who has dreamed of Mexican advancement beyond the quarterfinals for decades. On occasion, they have played Brazil well in the past. The dream is still alive.
2
There is such a thing as momentum unfortunately. The order should and does change the narrative
1
Mexico was very lucky.
Germany just had to score one goal against S. Korea and Mexico would have been out on a tie breaker.
Yes, Mexico played quite well but Germany played very badly.
Let's see how Mexico does against Brazil!!
1