MEXICO CITY — The scenes of nearly half a million people celebrating the win against South Korea at the Angel of Independence in downtown Mexico City foreshadowed it. The scenes of nearly a million Mexicans celebrating at that same exact spot following the win against Czechia six midnights later confirmed it: El Tri has done it, it has the full, unconditional support of an entire country that finally, after so, so long, believes.
“We didn’t really believe [in Mexico] before the start of the World Cup,” Arturo, 37, tells Sports Illustrated before Mexico’s 3–0 win vs. Czechia. “But watching the people, the atmosphere, you get emotional and start to believe. ¿Y si sí? (What if we can?).”
