An Instant Classic: Mexico vs. England at the Estadio Azteca a World Cup Match for the Ages

Latin America Correspondent Jon Bonfiglio speaks to Ian Payne for LBC. 

Transcript

Ian Payne 0:00

Let's speak with Jon Bonfiglio, who's a Latin America correspondent, journalist and filmmaker, joining us live from Mexico City. Commiserations on the defeat, but um the whole of Mexico must have been watching that, Jon.

Jon Bonfiglio 0:14

Absolutely. Yeah, uh the nation of 135 million people and very specifically the entire attention of the Capitol, one of the biggest cities, one of the biggest urban spaces on earth, was just given over entirely to to the event at the Azteca. And what a you know what an instant classic it was. Um and just completely enthralling. And although Mexico is hurting now, I think when they when they wake up tomorrow and they reflect over the days and weeks to come, I think they're going to remember this this Mexican side incredibly fondly in terms of the joy that it's brought to the country and the fact that it's had uh the the nation dreaming in a way, arguably, that no Mexican side has for a generation. Any complaints from the Mexican side afterwards? No, not really. I mean, you know, there's always there's always complaints uh with these with these things, but I think you have to divorce that uh from serious complaints. Um and I don't think there was anything you know very specifically there that was that was tangible about about what took place. Um again, I think that um you know, on reflection, what uh what what Mexico is gonna remember is the fact that um that uh their side, their national side, took the game to England again and again and again and um uh and actually you know dominated significant parts of the uh of the match. So although it's it's it's raw at the moment, I think there is it this is uh this side is gonna give Mexico a a launch pad. And actually, I'd say it's also not just footballing wise. I mean uh Mexico's president Claudio Sheinbaum immediately after the match reacted, came online and said that the team uh and then I I quote will live in the hearts of Mexico forever, and uh she then called on Mexico to feel pride in having shown themselves to be the greatest hosts on earth because of course the 3-2 loss on it uh to England was you know a sporting loss, but it was also Mexico's last match in the tournament as a host nation for for a record uh third time, and that there's a lot to be proud of there. Was the England boys' sleep um interrupted by noise outside or not? There was an attempt to to interrupt the the the sleep. They certainly didn't play as though as though they needed uh any any extra sleep, but the uh the Mexican police were pretty geared up for this and they closed off a number of the roads around the the team hotel so nobody could even get get close. But it was interesting how quickly the um because the the it the information about which hotel it was was was embargoed and was was uh under high secrecy, but uh almost instantly people found out where it was and it was posted uh everywhere online. So there were there was this kind of I so suppose sort of sideshow related to that, but it uh it came to nothing.

Ian Payne 2:49

Uh Harry Kane's post-match interview finally and briefly has gone viral because he lost his voice. Is that something that happens at altitude or was he just singing too vociferously?

Jon Bonfiglio 2:59

It was funny, wasn't it? No, it isn't something that specifically happens at altitude. I mean, short shortness of breath certainly does, so that might have played a part potentially, but I I think just the uh I mean it was such a roller coaster ride, wasn't it, for both England and Mexico. And I think just to I mean, can you imagine having to speak after after that? I think that's uh and say something cogent after have gone through the mill. Like that's I suspect it's uh it's more that kind of stuff than the oxygen or the lack of oxygen.

Ian Payne 3:25

I can imagine because I had to do it early this morning, but I take your uh conceit. Jon, thank you. Jon Bonfiglio, Latin American correspondent joining us from Mexico. I'm Ian Payne, this is LBC.