Some love from si.com

Wow… that is an incredibly positive and adventurous prediction.

My only concern is that Lavolpe’s problems with the media could create distractions to the national team. But then again, maybe he will use that as a way to ingrain a “us against them” mentality to give the players an extra edge.

Wow. got to give it up to The guy.. “– Mexico will do some damage in Germany. And maybe, with a little luck, it might be the next France.”
Ok i like the DAMAGE, but i don’t ever want to hear them compare us to france. how about Holland, or Croatia 8 years ago..
can’t wait.

Posted from  United States

Haven’t you guys ever heard of the SI jinx? They put a team or player on their cover and they go to sh*t. Hope this isn’t the case with this guy

Posted from  United States

This Lalas guys is missing one important detail.

Mexico does not have Zidane and nobody on the team even comes close!

In fact, add all the diminutive little guys up, Sinha, Pardo, Torrado, and the sum of them does not equal Zidane.

Posted from  United States

A couple of things.

I can’t really get my head around this Lavolpe vs. Media battle. In any case, it’s the Media’s fault that this problem is affecting the team as they are the one putting the problem out there. Yes, Lavolpe doesn’t like them, so get over it, he’s the national coach and if you want your nation’s team to do good in Germany, support them, and don’t plant the seeds of disharmony. The more I think about it the more it seems that they (certain media companies) don’t care how the NT does in Germany because their players aren’t in it and their teams won’t get as much attention, which translates to money eventually. All they care about is their own success, but I guess that’s the same anywhere else.

Secondly, about this SI article. They talk about Spain only having one title, but then refer to Mexico’s U-17 World Championship. Well, Spain won the U-20 World Cup as well in 1999. Sure, Mexico has won their confederation’s Gold Cup and the Confederations Cup itself, but haven’t managed to get their hands on the Copa America yet. I’m not trying to say Mexico isn’t as good as Spain, or viceversa, I’m very proud of what Mexico has achieved, but Spain has also won something in the last ten years as well, not just the Euro Cup in 1964…

And one last thing, did Di-Stefano ever play for the Spanish national team? I had the idea he was from Argentina, yet the article names him alongside Butragueño.

Posted from  Australia

Di Stefano and Puskas both played for Spain even though they were born elsewhere.

Posted from  United States

Yes he did.

Di Stefano switched national teams when fifa still allowed it.

Sorry for the double post:

Gus, I agree with you on the media situation. I think a lot of people just want to have a good note to publish in the papers and want Lavolpe to talk to them exclusively.

Probably one of the most venomous and least fact oriented columnists attacking Lavolpe and the team is found in espndeportes.com and her name is Marta Guerra. She sounds as bad as if Lavolpe decided to cheat on her with a younger, sexier girl on their wedding anniversary. Or he just probably told her that she knew as much about soccer as he does about the relativity theory (which is probably a correct assestment).

Also, remember that the press is in the business to sell newspapers. Sometimes the facts get in the way of sales.

Posted from  United States

Well I just hope that the article doesn’t compare our team with the 2002 France version….otherwise will be in trouble!!! lol
In general Mexican media is very sensationalist and always looking to stir trouble but I think we’ll be alright in Germany.Hey Big-Baller you mean Chiquis is not the next coming of Zidane? jajaja just kidding…..vamos Mexico!!!!

Posted from  United States

Putting the Current Mexico team in the same article, much less the same sentence as the French of the late 90’s, does France an incredible diservice. “Jugo Bonito” never has, and probably never will be played by “El Tri”. Don’t get me wrong, they are a strong and well coached team, but playing well in under 17 play does not translate to World Cup success.

I never considered the French to be proponents of the “Jogo Bonito”. In fact, the writer is giving the “jogo bonito” a disservice by associating it with France in 1998.

They had a very talented player in Zidane, but if you look at the way the won the World Cup back in 98, it was more of a combination of having a really well integrated team (most of the players were extracted of the French league at the time), and a good system.

Jogo Bonito is more than a system, you need to have skillful players all over the field, which France didn’t have at the time.

A combination of a favorable draw, playing at home, in a well integrated team, and having to play with a very disjointed Brazilian team that had a lot of disharmony within the group is what gave them the championship. Just like with England in 1966, I don’t expect them to be back at a World Cup final for a long, long time.

To extend what I was saying before, the France from Platini in the early 80’s was closer to jogo bonito than theFrance from 1998. The Frence from 1998 was very practical, and had better athletes. The one from 1982-1986 had more “artisans” and players with incredible ball control.

El Aclantista: LOL!

Yeah, watch out for Chiquis, the amazing left footed defensive midfielder that he is, he is the guy to lead mexico to glory.

Zidane is monumentally better than just about any player to ever grace a field.

The France team from Euro 2000 was a destructive force too. They had young Trezeguet, Henry, Wiltord and Anelka. Not too bad.

Posted from  United States

“Zidane is monumentally better than just about any player to ever grace a field.”

Not really…

I can name at least 10 better players without straining myself, including the obvious: Pelé, Maradona, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Di Stefano, Puskas, Zico, Garrincha, Platini and George Best, just to name a few.

Zidane was, however, the best product of his era, without a doubt. It is a shame he only maintained the level of excellence for just about 3 years.

You just made my point. Millions of people play the sport, few ever reach the level Zidane reached, even fewer possess the talent.

Zidane was the best, period, and it was far longer than 3 years.

Even so, had Zizou been Mexican, they might have a World Cup and few Copa America’s in the trophy case. Same goes for any other nation he would have played for in a world cup.

He is a superb, lead by example player, and imposes himself and could take over games with effort and sublime skill. Far longer than for 3 yrs.

We’ve all been fortunate to see it. Experts unanimously agree.

Posted from  United States

Far longer than 3 years? Hmmm… I’ll dispute that. He was great at WC 98 and the Eurocup 2000. He played poorly in 2002, and has really done little in Real Madrid since he was hired.

So I stand by what I said… great between 1998 and 2000 (3 years). He has been “mortal” but still a good player ever since.

And again, he was the best of his era, not the best ever. And it was at an era that was devoid of great players. Had he played during the 80s, for example, he would have been just another one of the bunch of good players because Zico, Maradona, Platini would have taken the spotlight from him.