By Gerry Maravilla

In Mexico, soccer is serious business. The recent shootings of Mexico City-based Club América team members Salvador Cabañas and Juan Carlos Silva have sent shockwaves through the soccer community. What motivated these shootings? Why two members of the same team? While several essential facts in this case have not yet surfaced, in some respects they don’t need to. There are several ways to come to a greater understanding about our neighbors below in the context of the world’s beautiful game.

Club America

I love Mexican soccer. My father immigrated to the United States from the central state of Michoacán in the mid 1970’s. Watching the national team’s games, as well as the weekend club games, has always been a way for me to connect with my father’s family. I witnessed firsthand the intense rivalry between Mexican club powerhouses Chivas de Guadalajara and Las Águilas de América. In fact, the most celebrated and anticipated match of every season is the game between these two teams: El Super Clásico.

Any follower of the Mexican First Division can tell you the past few years have been less than stellar for Club América. Since Cuauhtémoc Blanco transferred to the MLS in 2007, Las Águilas have failed to meet the demanding expectations of their fans. América has quite the successful history and, as such, have given these high expectations to their fan base. They currently hold ten Mexican championships as well as eight FIFA recognized international titles. They are one of Mexico’s most beloved and celebrated teams. A few dismal seasons and fans have been getting antsy.

Chivas de Guadalajara

Of course this does not justify or excuse such violent behavior towards the players. Fans in the U.K., Spain, Italy, etc. are just as fanatical about their teams and rivalries as the citizens of Mexico. However, it’s important to take into consideration the current political climate of Mexico. The government is more or less at war with drug cartels and the majority of common citizens suffer as a result. Violence and poverty are at all time highs. Gambling and betting on games is one way to break through difficult economic conditions during such turbulent times. I would be far from surprised if the shootings had direct correlation with someone losing large amounts of money on América games.

Soccer is also an escape. Watching, playing, breathing the sport is an opportunity to forget your troubles whether they are social, economic or just personal. You begin to invest yourself into your team and its players. It’s easy to get carried when you become so incredibly passionate; do I need to bring up the stereotypical soccer hooligan?

The 2008 film “Rudo Y Cursi” by Mexican filmmaker Carlos Cuarón shows the passion and pitfalls of soccer in Mexico. Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna star as two rival brothers who are lifted out of poverty by becoming star players in the Mexican First Division. They become entangled in the world of drugs and gambling that is ultimately their downfall. There’s a reason this is the third top grossing film of all in Mexico.

None of these factors excuse the actions taken by the shooters in Mexico City. However, when something of this nature occurs many of us just want to understand why. Understanding comes from obtaining knowledge and information. Get to know Mexico and the place of the beautiful game in its culture.