Barack Obama and some members of his cabinet will not be Team USA's most awaited in Mexico this weekend (the U.S. president travels to Guadalajara for the annual summit "Rodney Dangerfield", where Canada and Mexico are trying to be respected by their neighbors disinterested). Most Mexicans will focus much more attention to the visit of another delegation from the Northern Rio Grande, the U.S. national team football is facing Mexico in a crucial qualifying match for FIFA World Wednesday 12 August, the stately walls of Aztec Stadium in Mexico City. Regardless of whether the situation was difficult and if their country was in the shadow of the colossus of the north, the Mexicans could always count on their ability to disembowel the gringos football,

which more or less compensated for everything else. The United States, which for decades have failed to qualify for the World Cup, have beaten Mexico once the most popular sport in the world between 1934 and 1980. I grew up in Mexico, and I can assure you: the games in the 1970s and 1980s were so unbalanced that they became painful to watch. To get an idea, imagine the "dream team" facing American ... Mexico, for example, basketball. At the time, the difference in level between the two countries was such that I took for Pele when I played against Americans of my age summer camp when I was not an outstanding player in my country. Regional Domination That all changed of course, along with the popularity of soccer has exploded in the United States, at least as an activity for youth. Over the past two decades, the rivalry between Mexico and the United States for regional dominance has become one of the most fierce football international. And the United States took the lead in direct confrontation, although they have still not won in Mexico throughout history. That's why Wednesday's game is huge. Only three Caribbean countries, Central America and North America will qualify for next World Cup in South Africa (a fourth could slip, but I'll spare you the details). Despite an impressive victory against the Americans in New York last month, Mexico was stalled in this phase of qualification to the World Cup, losing matches against Costa Rica and Honduras. The Americans are doing much better, and there is a real concern in Mexico this year plagues brief (strong U.S. recession + influenza virus A = drop in GDP of over 10% last quarter, let alone the drug war) the gringos could finally triumph of "El Tricolor" in Mexico, a trauma that would jeopardize the chances of qualifying for the Mexico World Cup.