About Mexican Soccer
Soccer is the national sport of Mexico, with millions of fans and players throughout the country. The domestic Mexican game has a professional league and the country boasts an international team that competes on the world stage. The thriving fan base of soccer in Mexico has led to the country being chosen to host two FIFA World Cup tournaments. The World Cup tournaments are the global showcase of the sport of soccer.
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History
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Mexican soccer was introduced by English miners during the 19th century. The game was originally played in the small mining town of Real del Monte before spreading to the rest of the country. The first reported Mexican soccer game was played in 1858. The Soccer Fans Info website reports that the Mexican professional league championship and the Mexican national team were established by 1923.
Rules
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Mexican soccer is played under the official laws of the game as mandated by FIFA, the governing body of the world game. Referees who oversee sanctioned games in Mexican soccer must be accredited by the Mexican Football Federation, referred to as the Federacion Mexicana de Futbol Asociacion (FEMEXFUT).
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Domestic Game
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Mexico has a thriving domestic game, the pinnacle of which is the Primera Division professional league. The Primera Division is an 18-team league that decides the domestic champion of Mexican soccer. Domestic honors in Mexican soccer are also awarded in the Mexican Cup and Mexican Super Cup tournaments. The Mexican Cup is a knockout trophy played in a single elimination format. All teams in the Primera Division and the second division are eligible for entry. The Mexican Super Cup is a championship game played on an annual basis between the Mexican League champions and the Mexican Cup champions.
International Game
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The Mexican national team has a long and storied history and competed in the first ever World Cup tournament in 1930. Mexico has not won a World Cup tournament but did make quarter final appearances in 1970 and 1986. Mexico also competes in the Copa America tournament and the CONCACAF regional championship, the Gold Cup. As of 2010, Mexico had won eight Gold Cup titles.
Greats
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Great clubs in Mexican soccer include Chivas da Guadalajara, Club America and Cruz Azul. Chivas holds 11 Primera Division titles as of 2010. Legend players in Mexican soccer include the great Hugo Sanchez and Rafael Marquez. Sanchez played in the 1986 World Cup and in the domestic game scored 234 goals in the Primera Division. Sanchez moved to Europewoth Real Madrid and won four Spanish top goal scorer titles. Marquez was the 2009 Mexican team captain and has played over 100 games for Spanish giants Barcelona.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit 3d-rendering mexico flag and soccer-balls image by Igor Zhorov from Fotolia.com
