The word union was present at the opening of the biggest World Cup in history, this Thursday (11), at least in the conversations of diplomatic representatives from the three host countries, Canada, the United States and Mexico, at a joint event at the Mexican embassy, in Brasília.
Host Carlos García de Alba, Mexican ambassador to Brazil, spoke of the importance of football for Brazil and hoped that this “World Cup would be a celebration in which we remember unity”.
Before the opening match of this year’s tournament began, the US charge d’affaires, Gabriel Escobar, chose the Spaniard to speak to the group made up of members of the diplomatic corps working in Brazil and guests, most of them Mexicans. He said he hopes the hallmark of the tournament is “unity for a sport you all love.”
Emmanuel Kamarianakis, Canadian ambassador to Brazil, also highlighted that football “goes far beyond the game” and “lives in the energy of the fans.”
He wore the model of the t-shirt from Canada’s World Cup debut, in 1986, in a match against Mexico. The year 1986 is remarkable for the Mexicans because it was the last time that the country’s team went beyond the round of 16 and came in 6th place in the tournament, its best performance and with today’s coach Javier Aguirre in the squad.
Before the start of the match, the Canadian representative also made a small provocation, precisely because of Canada’s lack of tradition on the pitch. “I’m sure if the tournament was played on ice, we would have a good chance.”
The hostilities of Donald Trump, president of the USA, with Claudia Sheinbaum, president of Mexico, the recent rhetorical attacks on Canada or even the American government’s stance towards foreign fans, players and referees, remained in the background.
“Sometimes we need to make a distinction between the government and the dynamics it takes on in business and society, and its people, with whom, in North America, we have always had a good relationship,” he told Sheet Emmanuel Kamarianakis, from Canada. “Although it is a complicated period on some issues, the general climate has been and will continue to be very positive.”
In the afternoon and early evening of Thursday, the mood was focused on what was happening at the Azteca stadium, in Mexico City, where the home team faced South Africa in a game marked by three expulsions between the Africans.
At the final whistle, Mexico confirmed their favoritism in the match by defeating South Africa 2-0 and breaking a tradition of defeats and draws in World Cup debuts. To celebrate the result, García de Alba, from Mexico, Escobar, from the USA, and Kamarianakis, from Canada, made a toast in the Mexican style: glasses of tequila in hand and “arriba!”.
