Around 90,000 crazy fans gathered in Azteca stadium while 100,000 joined together in Mercadez Benz Superdome to watch the Mexico vs USA soccer game. This rivalry dates back to the 1930’s and continues as a hot and tested rivalry to this day.
The first meeting between Mexico and the United States was May 24, 1934, in Rome, Italy, where the United States defeated Mexico 4-2. However, for years, Mexico dominated the United States. From the 1940s to the 1990s, Mexico won 24 of the 29 meetings, losing twice and drawing three times.
Fast forward to 2000-2014, when the United States took some respect back from Mexico and won 10 out of 16 games. Mexico won four, and the teams settled for draws the other two times. In the 2000s, the rivalry hit its all-time peak after the 2002 World Cup.
Mexico had the edge coming into the game. There was already pure hatred between the two countries, but adding the pressure of the World Cup made the game more thrilling and heated. When the game kicked off, the tension was intense, and the United States drew first blood with an eight-minute goal by Brian Mcbride to give the Americans a 1-0 lead.
In the 65th minute, United States star forward Landon Donovan put the game away with a goal to put the USA up 2-0. Frustrated by the result, Mexico let their emotions get the best of them when captain Rafael Marquez got a straight red card and added fuel to the fire in this historic rivalry.
The United States would go on to win 14 of the next 29 games, which heated up the historic rivalry. From 2015-2019 however, Mexico capitalized on the United States’ terrible few years, defeating them four times out of seven. The United States won twice, and the teams drew once.
Mexico had reclaimed its dominance over the United States, and the United States needed to get it back. In comes the golden generation. The United States, after not qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, wanted to start fresh, so they fired their head coach and hired coach Gregg Berhalter to lead the youngest team in United States history.
Berhalter was tasked with leading Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Weston Mckennie, who were looking to turn the losing streak around. The youngsters started poor with two losses in 2019 but fired back in 2021.
2021 was the first edition of the Nations League tournament, and two well-known foes stood in the way of the other one’s chance for glory. This game was talked about as the greatest game in the history of the rivalry.
On a hot Denver night, Mexico got off to a flying start with a goal within 60 seconds, giving them a 1-0 lead in the final. The young USA team responded in the 27th minute with a goal by Giovanni Reyna, pulling the game level.
In the 79-minute, Mexico substitute Diego Lainez scored and sent Mexico fans into a frenzy. While the Mexico fans were still celebrating their goal, Mckennie headed home the game-tying goal in the 82nd minute, sending the game into extra time.
Extra time was a mess, with two penalties, one for each side, a big fight and over 10 minutes of stoppage time. The first penalty was for the United States. Pulisic got fouled and nailed his penalty from 12 yards out, giving the U.S. a 3-2 lead with just under 6 minutes to go.
When substitute goalkeeper Ethan Horvath was put on because of injury, Mexico took advantage with a few good chances, but it all came down to a penalty in the 124th minute. Andres Guardado stepped up and was denied by Horvath as the United States came out with a 3-2 win.
This barn burner was the most exciting game of the rivalry, and it just accelerated the rivalry. The US lifted the Gold Cup final, beating Mexico 1-0 the next summer. Then, in the 2023 Nations League semi-final, the U.S. defeated Mexico 3-0, putting a stamp on their 6-game unbeaten streak.
People may look for rivalries elsewhere, but the Border rivalry is one of the world’s most heated and best rivalries and will be for years to come.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @JaydenBarfuss10