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Pick up your calendar and turn to September, we've got ourselves a football match. Mark September 8th as the date Mexico will take on Argentina in a friendly. I know. It’s only a friendly, and I agree. Friendly matches can be inconsequential, but if fans have paid attention to the history between Argentina and Mexico, they'll notice that matches between these two are hardly ever friendly.
September will be an interesting time as well. Not only would we be a few weeks into a new season, but it’ll also be post-Copa America and Gold Cup. Will Mexico be coming off a Gold Cup win and a strong showing at the Copa America? Or will they be doing damage control against El Albiceleste? And will Argentina be coming off of a Copa America win, or failure?
Depending on how the summer goes, the September match might be a continuation of progress for both sides or a time of recovery. There's also a chance Mexico could face Argentina in the Copa America before their September friendly.
No matter what, it’ll be a great match between the two sides, a match long in the making. Argentina has always been a few steps ahead of Mexico and has been a constant thorn in Mexico’s side. Mexico is still developing, and will hope to defeat Argentina in this match to show the world that they too can go toe to toe against their more illustrious Latin American cousins, and that progress is being made toward reaching the height of Argentina and that the world should expect as much from them. Argentina will hope to brush aside Mexico as a two tier rival that will never truly pose a threat in their world conquest.
The match is also on a FIFA fixture date so coaches will have the ability to call up their best players. To build excitement for the match, check out the moments that show why it will be anything but a friendly.
2010 World Cup
The last time these two sides met was in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Round of 16. The match was the highest viewed show ever for Univision, with 9.3 million people tuning in. Argentina faced a resolute Mexico but managed to win the match 3-1.
It was controversial game that saw Carlos Tevez score a brace and Gonzalo Higuaín add another. Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez announced himself to the world with a beautiful left-footed rocket to score the only goal for Mexico.
Argentina scored the first goal through a controversial play. Tevez was clearly offside when he received Lionel Messi’s chip pass. After Tevez's first goal, Mexico’s defense crumbled, with Higuaín intercepting a weak Ricardo Osorio pass to score the second.
It was a demoralizing loss for Mexico, a match that could have ended differently, especially with Mexico playing much better than Argentina for a great part of the match. But Mexican fans have come to expect that from their national team. There is a wellknown saying in Mexico: “Jugaron como nunca y perdieron como siempre,” which means, "they played like never before, but they lost like always." It’s a saying that’s become synonymous with matches between Mexico and Argentina.
2006 World Cup
For two world cups in a row, Mexico faced Argentina in the Round of 16 and for two world cups in a row, Mexico failed to win against the South Americans. This is why Mexican fans will never take a match against Argentines lightly.
Mexican fans don’t forget. Prime example is Arjen Robben’s role in knocking Mexico out of the most recent world cup. Being knocked out of this edition of the world cup was even more painful. Rafa Marquez scored for Mexico in the fifth minute of the first half, and Mexico managed to hold on to that one goal lead for five minutes (sad, I know).
The match continued into extra time, with a moment of brilliance from Maxi Rodriguez proving to be the difference maker. Maxi scored a beautiful goal out of nowhere to send Argentina into the next round, breaking Mexican hearts along the way.
2007 Copa America Semifinal
Apart from world cup failures, Mexico has had to face the Argentines several times in important Copa America matches.
In the 2007 edition of the Copa America, Mexico managed to get third place in the tournament. Third place is actually a great result for Mexico, considering that they beat Uruguay for the third place bragging rights and that CONMEBOL is full of talented teams.
Before that result, Mexico had to take on Argentina in the semifinals. Argentina proved to be too much for Mexico and El Albiceleste ran out winners with a 3-0 result. Brazil would end up winning the tournament, beating Argentina with that same scoreline. Even with a loss to Argentina, it was a great tournament for Mexico. Mexico had beaten eventual winners Brazil in the group stages 2-0 with many believing an underdog story could play out for the Mexican side. But again, Mexico played like never before and lost like always.
1993 Copa America Final
The first time a non-CONMEBOL team played in a Copa America final was in the 1993 Copa America. Mexico and Argentina both made it to the final and Argentina won 2-1, another moment of “we were so close” for a Mexican side.
“Hugol” was a part of the Mexican team that made it that far, along with Jorge Campos, Benjamin Galindo and other Mexican greats. Argentina’s Gabriel Batistuta proved to be the difference maker with a brace in the second half to hand Argentina the championship.
Boca Juniors vs. Chivas
Another example of how moments between Argentine sides and Mexican sides are hardly ever dull was when Mexico’s Liga MX side Chivas faced Argentina’s famous Boca Juniors in the 2005 Copa Libertadores. In the quarterfinals, Chivas upset the favorites Boca 4-0 in the 1st leg, but it was really in the 2nd leg where most of the action happened. Chivas managed to make it to the semifinal for the first time in the Copa Libertadores, but fans weren’t having it.
With a 0-0 result looming over the heads of Boca fans within the Bombonera, fans started showing their displeasure at seeing their team fail to make it to the next round, a result that was completely unexpected. The match was suspended because fans started threatening security and throwing objects onto the pitch. It culminated with Jorge “Chino” Benitez, then Boca head coach, spitting at Chivas player El Bofo Bautista as he was leaving the field. The incident was recorded on film and the coach was punished by a judge and was even forced to visit El Bofo and apologize.
Come September, will Mexico play like never before, but lose like always? Or will they break the cycle? Should be fun.
