9781422286852

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Members of Mexico’s national soccer team huddle before an international match. Soccer (fútbol) is wildly popular in Mexico.

Team Sports Are Tops in Mexico T he favorite sport of the people of Mexico is soccer, which they call fútbol . Children and adults play this game in different leagues , while professional players can participate in various competitions. Of course, amateurs can play in many soccer leagues throughout Mexico. Or they can even play in the comfort of their own backyards. The history of soccer may be traced back to the first people of Mexico. The original inhabitants of Mesoamerica played a ballgame that resembled modern- day soccer in some ways. Their version involved a large ball and goals. Players from both teams used their hips to move the balls and score goals. Like in today’s sport, players could not use their hands to touch the ball. However, after games, the losers did not exactly shake hands with the winners. Archaeologists believe that these games often ended with members of the losing team being sacrificed as part of a ritual to appease the local deities! During the 19th century, Europeans introduced their version of soccer to Mexico. Today, soccer is the most popular sport in Latin America. It is believed that one of the first national soccer leagues in Mexico was formed around 1903.

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