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Apparently, despite our victory and the the whole of the Azteca screaming for everything the fans really got on and respected each other.
When I and two mates ran away from the vile California to Mexico in '96, we couldn't afford a hotel {They wanted 75 a head. We could only spare 20.} The owner asked why Americans thought they could come to Mexico and get everything for cheap.
We said we weren't Americans, we Brits so we absolutely hated them, and had come to Mexico in the hope of finding some civilisation again.
They said but don't all you white Anglophones think the same. I replied: You're much closer to us - remember Hugo Sanchez's goal in Mexico '86? They think you play football with your hands. Backward species. Thank God we got away.
He said tell you what, I'll give you two rooms, one with a double bed {I had a lovely gf at the time} for a tenner, not 225 if you want.
We thanked him and went to our rooms. 30 minutes later, the owner walked through the unlocked door with his best mate and a 1.75 L bottle of tequila. He said "please tell Juan what you told me. That even though they speak English and are white, the British look down on Americans not us"
We told them the whole story. His mate Juan said something about Americans and "wetbacks." I asked what a wet back was. They told me that that's what Americans called Mexicans. I asked why? He said it was because the Americans all like to believe that we only got into America by Swimming round the coast.
I said that was disgusting but typical of American racism.
Have you really never heard of wetback? No. So what term do you Brits have for us Mexicans? I said we don't hate you enough to have a term for you. The French are the frogs, the Germans are the Krauts, Spanish dagos etc. We call the Americans "Septics."
They asked why. I explained about Cockney rhyming slang and septic tank rhyming with yank. "Another stupid Septic Tank has shot up a school." "Have you seen what Septic handpumps have done now?"
They were amazed and promised to never think about the British in the same way again. I think it cheered them up that despite all the vile racial abuse they've had from Americans over the decades, a civilised country will respect a fellow civilised country when they encounter each other.
We finished the tequila and bade each other good night.
So the fact that the English and Mexican football fans have suddenly become best mates doesn't surprise me at all. I'm sure they just bonded over a shared love of football and a shared hatred of America as they downed tequila.
I know it's a case of "we should be thankful for small mercies" - as my Latin teacher said to me on the only occasion I got a question right - but the fact that the FA have rearranged the fixture list so we play each other again and Mexico get a chance of beating us in our national stadium as we've just done to them has kept a smile on my face.
?
When I and two mates ran away from the vile California to Mexico in '96, we couldn't afford a hotel {They wanted 75 a head. We could only spare 20.} The owner asked why Americans thought they could come to Mexico and get everything for cheap.
We said we weren't Americans, we Brits so we absolutely hated them, and had come to Mexico in the hope of finding some civilisation again.
They said but don't all you white Anglophones think the same. I replied: You're much closer to us - remember Hugo Sanchez's goal in Mexico '86? They think you play football with your hands. Backward species. Thank God we got away.
He said tell you what, I'll give you two rooms, one with a double bed {I had a lovely gf at the time} for a tenner, not 225 if you want.
We thanked him and went to our rooms. 30 minutes later, the owner walked through the unlocked door with his best mate and a 1.75 L bottle of tequila. He said "please tell Juan what you told me. That even though they speak English and are white, the British look down on Americans not us"
We told them the whole story. His mate Juan said something about Americans and "wetbacks." I asked what a wet back was. They told me that that's what Americans called Mexicans. I asked why? He said it was because the Americans all like to believe that we only got into America by Swimming round the coast.
I said that was disgusting but typical of American racism.
Have you really never heard of wetback? No. So what term do you Brits have for us Mexicans? I said we don't hate you enough to have a term for you. The French are the frogs, the Germans are the Krauts, Spanish dagos etc. We call the Americans "Septics."
They asked why. I explained about Cockney rhyming slang and septic tank rhyming with yank. "Another stupid Septic Tank has shot up a school." "Have you seen what Septic handpumps have done now?"
They were amazed and promised to never think about the British in the same way again. I think it cheered them up that despite all the vile racial abuse they've had from Americans over the decades, a civilised country will respect a fellow civilised country when they encounter each other.
We finished the tequila and bade each other good night.
So the fact that the English and Mexican football fans have suddenly become best mates doesn't surprise me at all. I'm sure they just bonded over a shared love of football and a shared hatred of America as they downed tequila.
I know it's a case of "we should be thankful for small mercies" - as my Latin teacher said to me on the only occasion I got a question right - but the fact that the FA have rearranged the fixture list so we play each other again and Mexico get a chance of beating us in our national stadium as we've just done to them has kept a smile on my face.
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