Life and Style. Why make a series that reminds us of all the “ya merito” of the Mexican National Team?
Leon Krauze. The selection raises passions, but the reality is that we know little of what happens within this team. The way in which they have been prepared, in a good or bad way, that it has been managed or badly managed, we really know very little. In other countries with passions similar to ours, such as: Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, all of them have stories, documentaries to give and give away. In this case, unlike any other television product made of this type in Mexico, we talk to the soccer players, both ours and our rivals, who lived through these dramas at the field level, with an experience that is not appreciated from the box. press.
L&S. Watching the episodes and talking about Mexico 86 is touching soccer as a political instrument. Is this relationship so close?
LK. The political use of sports, in this case soccer, is not exclusive to Mexicans. Soccer in the countries where it vibrates the most, although we know it has a presence throughout the world, we can see the case of Italy, Argentina and Germany itself. In the series we address the sports issue, however, it is sprinkled with some political elements. At this point with Qatar at the door I feel a great pessimism with the team, a very unfortunate tone about this team, with this series we seek that the fan of yesteryear, new, in Mexico or outside the country know what the team has done to get to this position. The World Cup begins when the ball begins to roll and that is what we have to assess.
L&S. There is a recurring theme that is talked about when we think about the Mexican National Team: the mentality.
LK. In the documentary, Argentines define it as “the little step”, that moment in which great things are achieved and the matches are closed. The exercise that the FMF did of going to compete since 1992 in all the tournaments where they could meet other types of rivals, the best, going to the Copa Libertadores, Copa América, exporting players, exporting coaches, all this has been stopped. To compete in the first world you have to measure yourself against them and it is the only way to stand out, both in sport and in other disciplines.
L&S. This National Team has the peculiarity of being local in two countries. How does the fan in the United States feel it?
LK. It is definitely a very different link that Mexicans have within the country against those outside and this makes it a very attractive phenomenon. The rivalry with the United States is undoubtedly one of the most interesting topics in this series, in which the issue of mentality has a great game. Thinking about the 2002 World Cup, that Mexico vs. America was a one-time event, which was a game changer for that squad. The Americans went to that round of direct elimination knowing that if they won that one, they would mentally win all of them, Mexico did not understand it that way, but they have already reached the fifth game.
L&S. It is heard every so often that there are “punished” in the National Team. What is your feeling about these decisions?
LK. The absences of Carlos Vela, Javier Hernández, now seem to me to be injurious. In 2006 they did not take Cuauhtémoc Blanco, he should have been, in the documentary Lavolpe explains his absence, however it was essential that he attend. If Mexico had the conditions of France that can put together three teams, it is understood that you limit yourself to some players, in our conditions it is not possible, so it seems unfortunate that these types of decisions are made.
L&S. Could we expect a following season with the analysis of Qatar 2022?
LK. Totally, in the sixth episode there is a long interview with Tata Martino, in which he talks about what happens inside the team and the moment in which they arrive at this World Cup.
L&S. We are coming to Qatar 2022, and we will host a World Cup again in 2026
LK. That fact must be a key element in order not to make a mistake with what happened in 1986 and not take Mexico out of the Azteca Stadium. The next World Cup represents an almost foundational key for the home team, a preparation of several years, to generate the best conditions for this team.
L&S. The great rival of this first round: Argentina. What is your prediction?
LK. Without a doubt, Argentina has clearly grown and is the most complicated team in recent times and is for me a clear contender to win the World Cup. But is this Argentina more difficult than Brazil at home in the first round? No. Is this Argentina more difficult than world champion Germany? No. The albiceleste has been confronted many times and they recognize it, as do the Brazilians. This is not the most difficult group that Mexico has faced and we know that Poland has one of the best strikers in the world, but progress can be made.