MEXICO
First quarter of 2023, a dream for Mexican sport
A serious baseball team, Pérez in F1 and soccer players in Europe have been the highlights of national sport so far this year.
It is a well-known fact that soccer is the most popular sport in Mexico, and as a result, the national team serves as a major representative of the country’s thriving sports culture. The earlier-than-planned elimination of the team in the World Cup held in Qatar last November/December was a significant setback for the nation, but in the five months since, the healing process has begun.
Mexican sport in good shape
The credit for this progress goes to various individual athletes and teams from different disciplines who have stepped up to showcase Mexico’s prowess on the world stage. Their successes demonstrate that with proper support and a strong work ethic, Mexican athletes can compete at the highest level.
Mexican Baseball Team
One of the most notable examples of collective sporting achievement for our compatriots was the exceptional performance of the Novena Tricolor team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Under the leadership of Benjamin Gil, they secured a remarkable victory against the creators of the sport, the United States, during the group stage.
Despite narrowly missing out on an unprecedented final, they proved their mettle by competing fiercely in the semifinals against Japan, the tournament’s top team, who boasted star player Shohei Ohtani.
Sergio Perez in F1
Regarded by some media outlets as Mexico’s top athlete at present, Sergio Perez has displayed commendable form in the current Formula 1 season.
With three races held thus far, namely Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Australia, the native of Jalisco has secured 2nd, 1st, and 5th place finishes, respectively. This is despite the complex dynamic he shares with his Red Bull teammate, Max Verstappen, who is considered the team’s primary figure.
Ochoa, Lozano, Giménez... Mexican soccer in Europe
Several European-based footballers have enjoyed a strong start to the year with their respective teams. Guillermo Ochoa, having suffered an 8-2 defeat to Atalanta in January, has since conceded very few goals and even managed a clean sheet with a team facing the prospect of relegation. He even makes the Serie A best XI from time to time.
Meanwhile, “Chucky” Lozano is on the verge of clinching a championship title with Napoli in Italy, something the club has not achieved in 33 years. Additionally, Edson Álvarez, Jorge Sánchez, Érick Gutiérrez, and Santiago Giménez are currently leading the charge in Dutch football, occupying top positions in their league.