The Mexican men’s national football team and representations of the nation during the 2010 World Cup: a postcolonial dilemma

Abstract

This article analyses the results of a survey conducted previous to and during the 2010 World Cup to capture Mexican university students’ opinions of the men’s national football team. These results offer a window onto how Mexicans see not just the football team but the nation as well. The respondents frequently use the team to express their frustration, disappointment and resignation regarding Mexico’s failure to progress beyond Third World status and to achieve international recognition as a successful nation. While these negative expressions can be attributed, in part, to Mexico’s defeats and failures on and off the pitch, the very definition of a successful nation also plays an important role. We argue that this definition is weighted against postcolonial nations, which is why the survey shows Mexicans struggling to represent the team and the nation in a manner that is both uniquely Mexican and competitive in global terms.