MEXICO CITY — After Mexico’s 2-0 victory over Ecuador within the first spherical of the knockout stage of the World Cup, followers streamed into the streets right here to rejoice, blowing horns, waving flags and shouting: “Let’s go to the Angel!”
An estimated 1 million folks had flocked to the Angel of Independence, a towering monument on Mexico Metropolis’s fundamental boulevard, to look at the sport on huge screens. Extra revelers headed there after the match to occasion. Pink, inexperienced and white fireworks exploded, music boomed and strangers danced and cheered collectively.
However the avenue was a lot too crowded. Panic surged, and lots of followers discovered themselves packed along with no clear escape.
Three folks died from suffocation, authorities mentioned. A fourth reveler died from a coronary heart assault.
The tragedy dampened what had been nationwide jubilation over the sudden triumphs of El Tri, as Mexico’s nationwide workforce is understood. The squad has gained 4 matches in a row at Estadio Azteca, Mexico Metropolis’s legendary stadium, elevating it for the primary time in 4 a long time to the competitors’s spherical of 16.
Mexico’s unbelievable run after years of failing to make it out of the group stage has sparked a sense of collective hope, a uncommon commodity in a rustic battling highly effective drug cartels, a stagnant financial system and unprecedented strain from President Trump. A casual slogan has emerged right here: “¿Y si?” It means, “What if?” What if Mexico’s workforce is in a position, one way or the other, to drag off the extraordinary?
The nation’s huge celebrations have made worldwide headlines, with movies of exuberant followers rocking vehicles and even buses going viral. In the course of the Ecuador match, so many followers jumped concurrently after Mexico scored that seismographs right here registered “synthetic earthquakes.”
However there was a darkish aspect to the revelry. Two different tragedies have additionally marred celebrations.
In Cabo San Lucas final month, a crowd rejoicing after Mexico’s victory over the Czech Republic rocked a automotive on the street. The motive force accelerated, wounding 17 folks. The same incident in Chihuahua Metropolis after Mexico’s win over South Korea additionally resulted in accidents.
As Mexico’s workforce prepares to tackle England on Sunday night time, a match that many predict would be the hardest but for El Tri, authorities nationwide are vowing to strengthen security protocols.
Authorities in Mexico Metropolis say they are going to once more erect screens alongside the Paseo de la Reforma, the capital’s iconic thoroughfare, however will house them out to maintain crowds from congregating at a single level.
Mayor Clara Brugada discouraged followers from going to the Angel monument, saying town would provide celebrations at different areas.
President Claudia Sheinbaum mentioned authorities had been investigating what went improper through the lethal stampede on the Angel — however deflected blame from officers.
“It’s very troublesome to deploy police to include 1 million folks,” she mentioned.
She urged followers “to keep away from extreme alcohol consumption” throughout Sunday’s match, and requested them to look out for one another. “Act responsibly,” she mentioned.
Sheinbaum, a leftist populist, has declined to attend World Cup video games in individual, saying “tickets are very costly.”
However she has celebrated every of the workforce’s victories at her each day information convention, not too long ago inviting to the stage Merlin, a duck that grew to become an web sensation for waddling amongst followers alongside Reforma in a inexperienced Mexico jersey.
Cecilia Sánchez Vidal in The Instances’ Mexico bureau contributed to this report.
