It’s been an awful week for Mexican soccer as the Copa America tournament taking place this month in cities across the United States draws to its conclusion this weekend.

First came the widespread condemnation for Mexico fans’ homophobic chants during games, coming on the heels of the shooting at a gay club in Orlando, in which 49 people died.

Despite appeals to drop the tradition, the anti-gay slur was freely chanted during all of Mexico’s games in an effort to distract opposition goalkeepers and prompted broadcaster Univision to runs a disclaimer noting that “in no way do we approve of the use of this type of language.” 

Then came another downer: a humiliating 0-7 loss to Chile in the quarter finals.

The margin of the defeat – equaling Mexico’s worst ever at an official tournament – sent this country’s soccer analysts and armchair critics into apoplexy.

Mexico’s most popular player, Guadalajara-born striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, who played the full 90 minutes against Chile, said the defeat “hurts our soul and mine in particular … we are very embarrassed.”

Mexican soccer chiefs stood by head coach, Argentine Juan Carlos Osorio, despite calls from many quarters for him to be axed. Osorio was suitably contrite after the game, shouldering most of the blame, accepting that his selection and tactics had been deficient. 

And as the shamefaced players made their way back to Mexico, important figures south of the border weighed in on the homophobic chant controversy.

Writing an opinion piece in the Washington Post, author and academic Enrique Krause said: “I am not sure whether the crowd’s behavior is truly driven by a desire to dispute the opposing goalkeeper’s sexual orientation. Still, the hypothetically harmless nature of the mob’s motives is not enough to defend the chant. What matters is not the chant’s cause but its pernicious and painful effect. It has no place in soccer, and FIFA should do all it can to force Mexican fans to stop their annoying routine, including imposing the empty venue penalty or even more severe sanctions, such as banning Mexico from future international competitions.”

GR staff