u17 world cup

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the u17 world cup will start in about a month, and i have high hopes for my boys. mexico has never been champion at the world cup for senior players, or u20 players, but we have been world champions of the u17 category twice, and runners up once. all titles have been in the most recent years.

since 1985, when u17 world cup came about, mexico had only made it to the group stages or the round of sixteen (shocker for mexico to get eliminated before the fifth game, right? *sarcasm*). then one magical year, 2005 (i was an eleven year old little bitch and i remember people talking about it, but i wasnt really into football, so i remember not giving a flying fuck), we managed to get to a final. and it would be a fucking savage final bc who was it against?

that's right, 

brazil.

tough, right?

WRONG. mexico mopped the floor with the canarinha. it always makes me happy when mexico defeats brazil because no one expects it (though it tends to happen a lot). 

marcelo was there in 2005. why bring him up? bc he knows what its like to lose to gio dos santos TWICE in his nt career. if some of you remember, marcelo was also part of the team that lost to mexico at the olympics. gio is everywhere you want to be, marcelo. 

i bet no one thought mexico would win. people always underestimate any team that plays against brazil bc "brazil is brazil". but mexico demonstrated that they were badass enough to take the cup home, and they defeated brazil at the final with a score of 3-0 in LIMA, PERU. sad life for brazil. 

on their world cup journey, mexico defeated various teams, including a netherlands with tim krul. if you remember this lad, krul was starting gk against mexico in the rematch game of november 12th, 2014. and mexico won 3-2. maybe krul had something like war flashbacks of the day mexico defeated his team 4-0 at the world cup for seventeen year old boys.

the other time we were champions was in 2011.

we were hosting.

the biggest party on the planet, bitches. and we needed to keep the party ours. we couldn't let someone else become the life of the party.

undefeated 7 (all) games of that tournament.

and the cup stayed where it belonged (right in papa's hands).

that year we defeated germany in the semi final with a spectacular goal by gomez. we almost lost that game, but it was destiny that we won. it was a blessing. 

and the final against uruguay at the azteca was a dream. one goal by CAPITAN POLLO BV and another by CASILLAS. i still have martinoli's words engraved into my memory, "COMO GUZMAN COMO EN LIMA COMO EN LIMA COMO EN LIMA GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL". (LIKE GUZMAN LIKE IN LIMA LIKE IN LIMA LIKE IN LIMA GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLL).

when the final whistle blew, we were world champions for a second time and i remember i felt like crying bc we deserve things like this, but we hardly ever get it. mexico deserves more than just u17 cups, they deserve u20 cups, and senior team cups.  i would also quickly like to point out that mexico is the ONLY NATION TO WIN THE U17 WORLD CUP AT HOME. (the same was the case when mexico won the confederations cup in mexico 1999 against brazil. BUT THEN BRAZIL HAD TO WIN THEIR CONFEDERATIONS CUP IN 2013 against spain, and now mexico and brazil share the record). mexico is one of the three most successful u17 nations. the other two are nigeria with 4 cups, and brazil with 3 cups. that's why we need to win this year. we need to catch up with the big boys. 

but doesn't it make you happy?

at least in one category, we are one of the top three most successful nations at the world stage. not just regionally (bc regionally, we always mop the floor with all concacaf opponents). 

what you got on that, usa?

no cups for you.

but your women's team is so on point. fab.

in 2013, we were defending champions. and the boys upheld their honor. they didn't win, but they were runners up. and they left with their dignity. they truly improved. their first game of the tournament had been against nigeria and they lost 6-0. AND THEY HAD TO FACE THE NIGERIANS AGAIN IN THE FINAL. heart attack. 

and mexico lost the 2013 final to nigeria, 3-0. sad, but a clear improvement from the previous game. 

we have the potential to be champions, and we know what glory feels like.

so i hope the boys give 100% out there. i am confident that we will be great out there. 

anyway, what do you all think?

can we win the cup this year? 

in the recent years, mexico has been beast in the u17 category. 

-clary xx


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