Argentina–Mexico football rivalry explained

Argentina–Mexico football rivalry
City Or Region:The Americas
Argentina (CONMEBOL)
Mexico (CONCACAF)
First Contested:Argentina 6–3 Mexico
[1]
Teams Involved:
Most Wins:Argentina (16)
Top Scorer:Lionel Messi (4)
Mostrecent:Argentina 2–0 Mexico
Total:32
Series:Argentina: 16
Mexico: 4
Draws: 12
Largestvictory:Argentina 4–0 Mexico
Map Location:America
Map Label1:Argentina
Map Label1 Position:right
Map Label2:Mexico
Map Label2 Position:right
Coordinates1:-34°N -58°W
Coordinates2:19°N -99°W

The Argentina-Mexico football rivalry is a sports rivalry that exists from Mexico for the Argentine National Team.[2] [3] [4] [5] Although the rivalry is not a very competitive one with Argentina holding 16 victories, 12 draws and only 4 losses in 32 meetings, the game draws a lot of attention from the media in Mexico. In fact, this rivalry is more keenly felt by Mexican supporters than Argentines, with the latter viewing Brazil, England, Uruguay and Germany as bigger rivals. A majority of Argentines do not consider Mexico as rivals. Argentina has not lost to Mexico since 2004, with the last 4 meetings being shutout victories. Mexico has not scored against Argentina since 2015 in a friendly.[6]

History

Although the first official match between both nations came in the 1930 FIFA World Cup where Argentina beat Mexico 6–3 in the group stage, the rivalry emerged during the late twentieth century, especially after the 1993 Copa América Final, where Argentina beat Mexico 2–1.[7] [8] [9] That was the first time a non-CONMEBOL nation played in a Copa América final, and the first final played between both sides.[10]

Managed by Alfio Basile, Argentina won the Copa América for the fourteenth time, defending their title won two years before.[11] [12] Argentina would not win another Copa America until 2021.

Overall, Argentina holds the edge in the rivalry in official matches, with sixteen victories, four by Mexico, and twelve draws.[13] [14]

Beyond the rivalry between both teams, many Argentine coaches have served as managers of Mexican teams. Meanwhile, César Menotti is widely recognised for his work with the Mexico national team,[4] Nevertheless, other Argentines who managed Mexico in subsecquent years (such as Ricardo LaVolpe or more recently Gerardo Martino) were heavily criticized by the local media despite some good results leading the team. Former Mexican player and manager Hugo Sánchez has always been reluctant with the idea of having foreign managers.[4]

During the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar, there was animosity between fans of both sides, especially from the Mexican side. Prior to the match between both teams, some Mexican and Argentine fans had a fight in Doha.[15] Both supporters fought again inside Lusail Stadium after Argentina's victory.[16] Previously, Mexican fans, alongside a portion of Uruguayan fans, had been singing a song that included political and social references to the Malvinas War singing "Come to see! Come to see! In the Falklands, English language is spoken", with the word Falklands intentionally included, considering that the islands are named Malvinas in Spanish, regardless of any political position. This intentional aggression sparked outrage of the Argentine fans towards them.[17] [18]

List of matches

The chart includes the complete list of matches played between both teams:[19] [20] [21] [22]

width= pxwidth= 80pxDatewidth= pxCitywidth= pxVenueWinnerwidth= pxScorewidth= pxCompetitionwidth=150pxGoals (Arg)width=150pxGoals (Mex)
1 19 Jul 1930 Argentina
2 13 Mar 1956 Mexico City(Draw)
3 10 Mar 1960 Argentina
4 17 Mar 1960 Argentina Jiménez, Nardiello
5 28 Mar 1962 Argentina Friendly
6 22 Aug 1967 Mexico City Mexico Friendly ? Fragoso (2)
7 6 Feb 1973 Mexico City Mexico Friendly E. Borja, F. Bustos
8 31 Aug 1975 Mexico City (Draw) Mexico City Cup Coscia F. Vargas
9 18 Sep 1984 (Draw) Friendly Negrete
10 25 Oct 1984 Buenos Aires (Draw) Friendly Flores
11 14 Nov 1985 (Draw) Friendly
12 17 Nov 1985 (Draw) Friendly Aguirre
13 17 Jan 1990 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Mexico Friendly C. Muñoz, Zague
14 13 Mar 1991 Buenos Aires José Amalfitani(Draw) Friendly
15 20 Jun 1993 (Draw) Ruggeri
16 4 Jul 1993 Guayaquil Argentina Batistuta (2) Galindo
17 10 Feb 1999 Los AngelesMemorial Coliseum Argentina Friendly
18 9 Jun 1999 (Draw) Reebok Cup L. Hernández, P. Chávez
19 20 Dec 2000 Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumArgentina Reebok Cup
20 4 Feb 2003 Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumArgentina Friendly
21 10 Jul 2004Mexico R. Morales
22 9 Mar 2005 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Draw) Friendly Fuentes
2326 May 2005 (Draw) Salcido
24 24 Jun 2006 ArgentinaMárquez
25 11 Jul 2007 Argentina
26 4 Jun 2008 ArgentinaFriendly Sinha
27 27 Jun 2010 ArgentinaJ. Hernández
28 8 Sep 2015 (Draw) Friendly Agüero, Messi J. Hernández, Herrera
29 16 Nov 2018 ArgentinaFriendly Funes Mori, Brizuela (o.g.)
30 20 Nov 2018 ArgentinaFriendly
31 10 Sep 2019 ArgentinaFriendly
32 26 Nov 2022 Argentina
Notes

Statistics

(Only official matches are included):

width= pxCompetitionwidth=50pxPlayedwidth=50pxArg. wonwidth=50pxDrawwidth=50pxMex. won
4 4 0 0
1 0 1 0
4 2 1 1
3 2 1 0
Total 12 8 3 1

Official titles comparison

!Senior titles!Argentina!Mexico
World Cup30
FIFA Confederations Cup11
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions20
Copa América / CONCACAF Championship and Gold Cup1612
Panamerican / CONCACAF Nations League10
Total2313

Club competition

At club level, Argentine and Mexican teams met for the first time at Copa Interamericana, a defunct competition contested by Conmebol and Concacaf club champions. In the first edition of the tournament (1968), Estudiantes de La Plata beat Toluca after a two-legged and a playoff series, winning the first trophy for South America.

The first Mexican win over an Argentine side in Copa Interamericana came in 1977 when Club América defeated Boca Juniors. After both teams won one match each, a playoff was held in Mexico City, where América won 2–1 to achieve their first title.[23] [24] [25]

The rivalry between both nations at club level increased during the late 1990s, when Mexican clubs were invited to participate in Copa Libertadores. After Mexican representatives were eliminated on round of 16 in 1998, in the 2000 edition América lost to Boca Juniors in semifinals (5–4 on aggregate). The progress of Mexican sides in the competition was clearly evident in 2001 when Cruz Azul became the first Mexican team to play a final, being defeated by Boca Juniors on penalties after winning one game each (as visitor teams).[26] Previously, Cruz Azul had eliminated Cerro Porteño (round of 16) and two Argentine teams, River Plate and Rosario Central (in quarter and semifinals respectively).[27]

The most controversial game between Mexican and Argentine teams in club competitions occurred in 2005, when Guadalajara faced Boca Juniors in quarter finals. In the first leg, Guadalajara beat Boca Juniors 4–0,[28] being considered one of the greatest achievements of Mexican teams over Argentine rivals.[29] In the second leg at La Bombonera, Chivas player Adolfo Bautista mock Boca Juniors supporters which caused Martín Palermo beat him. As a result, both were sent off while Boca Juniors coach, Jorge Benítez, spit at Bautista's face. The final 0–0 score eliminated Boca Juniors from the competition and the match passed into history as an embarrassing scandal.[30] Benítez's misconduct caused Boca Juniors fired him after the incident.[31]

Tigres UANL became the second Mexican team to play a Copa Libertadores final in 2015, but they lost to River Plate (0–3 on aggregate).[32] [33] After the 2017 edition, Mexican teams would decline to participate in Copa Libertadores due to scheduling problems.[34]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: El Argentina – México en datos: un duelo decisivo, una rivalidad histórica. elpais.com. Diego Mancera. 26 Nov 2022.
  2. Web site: Argentina and Mexico fans' rivalry rocks Qatar. reuters.com.
  3. Web site: Mexico vs. Argentina: three days before the game, the war began, but with a fight between fans. marca.com.
  4. Web site: El partido de México y Argentina revive una vieja rivalidad deportiva. nytimes.com.
  5. Web site: "Al grito de Guerra", la pambolera rivalidad de México y Argentina llega a ViX+. informador.com.mx.
  6. Web site: Argentina national football team: record v Mexico . 2023-01-06 . www.11v11.com.
  7. Web site: Mexico's great love-hate relationship with Argentina. theguardian.com.
  8. Web site: El origen de la rivalidad entre México y Argentina. record.com.mx.
  9. http://rsssf.com/tables/93safull.html#final Copa América 1993 Final
  10. https://elpais.com/deportes/2019/06/13/actualidad/1560436953_023515.html México alimenta la Copa América
  11. http://www.diarioveloz.com/notas/146202-revivi-la-consagracion-la-copa-america-1993-el-ultimo-titulo-la-seleccion-mayor Reviví la consagración en la Copa América 1993, el último título de la Selección mayor
  12. http://www.telam.com.ar/notas/201607/153772-argentina-copa-america-1993-ecuador-mexico-batistuta-simeone-basile.html Hace 23 años, la selección argentina ganaba la Copa América por última vez
  13. Web site: México vs Argentina, rivalidad extra cancha. eluniversal.com.mx.
  14. Web site: Argentina national football team: record v Mexico. 11v11.com.
  15. https://www.elgrafico.com.ar/articulo/1135/59455/batalla-campal-entre-hinchas-de-argentina-y-mexico-en-las-calles-de-doha BATALLA CAMPAL ENTRE HINCHAS DE ARGENTINA Y MÉXICO EN LAS CALLES DE DOHA
  16. https://www.tycsports.com/seleccion-argentina/incidentes-hinchas-seleccion-argentina-mexico-mundial-qatar-2022-id479496.html Incidentes entre hinchas de la Selección Argentina y México en el Mundial de Qatar 2022
  17. https://www.tycsports.com/seleccion-argentina/mundial-qatar-2022-cancion-mexicana-argentina-repudiable-id479199.html La repudiable canción mexicana contra Argentina en el Mundial de Qatar 2022
  18. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mTtJQtpA_D4
  19. https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/arg-intres.html ARGENTINA NATIONAL TEAM ARCHIVE
  20. https://www.tycsports.com/seleccion-argentina/historial-seleccion-argentina-vs-mexico-mundial-qatar-2022-id479118.html Historial de la Selección Argentina vs. México: cuántas veces se enfrentaron
  21. https://www.afa.com.ar/es/posts/historial-ante-mexico Historial de enfrentamientos entre la Selección Argentina y la Selección Azteca
  22. https://www.vavel.com/mx/futbol-mexicano/2015/09/08/seleccion-mexicana/537844-mexico-argentina-una-historia-longeva.html México - Argentina, una historia longeva
  23. https://historiadeboca.com.ar/copa-interamericana-1978/1978/325.html Copa Intermericana 1978 overview
  24. https://www.clubamerica.com.mx/comunicados/america-campeon-de-la-copa-interamericana-1978/ América campeón de la Interamericana
  25. https://www.lanacion.com.ar/deportes/futbol/la-copa-olvidada-historia-del-trofeo-se-nid2213607 La copa olvidada
  26. https://www.tycsports.com/boca-juniors/boca-copa-libertadores-2001-cruz-azul-bombonera-bicampeon-21-anos-campeon-id445723.html A 21 años de la Copa Libertadores 2001 ganada por Boca
  27. https://www.rsssf.org/sacups/copa01.html Copa Libertadores de América 2001
  28. https://www.rsssf.org/sacups/copa05.html Copa Libertadores de América 2005
  29. https://chivaspasion.bolavip.com/noticias/Partidos-epicos-Chivas-de-Guadalajara-goleo-4-0-a-Boca-Juniors-en-Cuartos-de-Final-de-la-Copa-Libertadores-2005-20201118-0012.html Partidos épicos: Chivas goleó 4-0 a Boca Juniors en Cuartos de Final de la Copa Libertadores 2005
  30. https://www.espn.com.ar/futbol/copa-libertadores/nota/_/id/7012167/a-15-anos-de-boca-chivas-y-el-escupitajo-del-chino-benitez-al-bofo-bautista A 15 años de Boca-Chivas y el escupitajo del Chino Benítez al Bofo Bautista
  31. https://www.lanueva.com/nota/2005-6-16-9-0-0-boca-determino-el-despido-de-benitez Boca determinó el despido de Benítez
  32. Web site: River Plate win third Copa Libertadores title with victory over Tigres. 6 August 2015. Guardian. 6 August 2015.
  33. Web site: River Plate 3 Tigres 0. 6 August 2015. Goal.com. 6 August 2015.
  34. https://www.telam.com.ar/notas/202102/543785-concacaf-equipos-mexico-copa-libertadores-copa-libertadores-conmebol-futbol.html Concacaf, en contra de los mexicanos que quieran jugar la Libertadores