Guadalajara soccer team Atlas has been fined after citing Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels in a tweet following its recent game against New York City FC in the current Leagues Cup tournament involving teams from Mexico’s Liga Mx and Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States.
Although Atlas won the encounter 1-0, the team’s social media posters became so agitated by a disputed offside call that they appeared to compare “influencers and people from the ‘analyst’ media” to the Nazi minister of information, writing that “the bigger a lie, the more people will believe it.”
Atlas subsequently apologized for the tweet, saying they had opened an investigation into the origin of the tweet, adding that “we reiterate our solidarity, friendship and affection for the Jewish community and all those who have been victims of barbarity.”
The amount of the fine is not known, but according to the competition regulations for the Leagues Cup 2023, the financial penalties for clubs not complying with the rules can range from $US1,500 to $US50,000.
The Leagues Cup 2023—taking place in the United States—involves all 64 Liga Mx and MLS teams. After a short group stage eliminating half the teams, it becomes a knock-out competition, with four rounds scheduled between August 2 and the final on August 19.
Started in 2019, this is third time the tournament has been held. The 2020 and 2022 editions were cancelled due to Covid and fixture congestion.
Cruz Azul won the inaugural tournament and Leon were the victors in 2021.