The other day, the pros and cons of “victory supremacy” were discussed at Abema Prime.
A very interesting discussion took place on the topic of whether fair play or cunning is more important in sports.
After watching this discussion, I felt that this theme was very applicable to Japanese soccer and Mexican soccer.
It’s been over two years since I started promoting Mexican soccer.
As I wrote in another article, one of the reasons I continued to send out messages was because I was intrigued by the fact that Mexican soccer’s approach to “victory supremacy” was different from Japan’s.
How is Mexican soccer different from Japan?
In this first article of 2026, I will touch on the differences and write about the necessity of knowing Mexican soccer.
(I’m not going to talk about soccer from other Latin American countries here. This is just my impressions from watching Mexican soccer firsthand.)
Not just “rough”
Mexican soccer is rough.
This fact is not wrong.
If you watch Marine Bob’s videos these days, you’ll get a clearer idea of that.
So why are there so many rough plays?
What I felt when I watched Mexican soccer was that it wasn’t just roughness. This involved a “commitment to victory” and a “sense of justice.”
“Commitment to victory”
The players who play in Mexico, not only professionals, but also amateurs and those in their developmental years, have a strong desire to win.
Always choose to play to win.
I’m always thinking about how I can get a point or how I can protect my goal. The purpose is not to show off a “brilliant play.” Of course, if there is a brilliant play, the stadium will be excited. However, no matter how impressive their play is, it is meaningless if they don’t win. This is the norm in Mexican soccer.
Mexico’s strong desire to win was evident in last year’s friendly match between Japan and Mexico.
Near the end of the game, CB Cesar Montez stopped Kiyo Ueda’s escape with a foul. Montez was immediately ejected for this play.
If Montes had not fouled, there is a high probability that Japan would have scored the winning goal. The play that Montes chose to prevent the team from scoring was a typical Mexican scene, showing their determination not to lose even in a friendly match.
Situations like this can be seen even among amateurs and those in their training age group.
No matter the category, you are always required to play to win.
“sense of justice”
I feel that Mexicans have a greater sense of belonging to their team than do Japanese people.
For example, when a certain player transfers to a rival team, it is not uncommon in Japan for supporters to greet him with applause.
But in Mexico it’s different. They are rarely greeted with applause, and often end with boos or no reaction.
This is because players who leave their own team are always seen as enemies.
This awareness exists not only among supporters but also among players.
He brings to the fore the feeling of being a member of the team and the desire to help the team win.
To protect your allies, to prevent your opponent from attacking you.
In order to continue taking such actions, battles are constantly unfolding on the pitch.
It’s not just rough.
Make the best choices for victory, and have a sense of justice to save your team.
This is the basis of Mexican soccer.
Japanese high school students who struggled with Mexican soccer
Last spring, the Hiroshima Prefectural High School Soccer Selection Team went on an expedition to Mexico.
Japanese high school students suffered from the “roughness” of Mexico.
His pressing and hitting were so intense that one player lamented, “I had the most interpersonal strength I’ve ever felt.”
Many players were frustrated by the roughness of not allowing them to advance even if they committed a foul.
As a result, the Hiroshima selection ended without winning a single game in three games.
High school students from Hiroshima had an advantage in terms of ability. Moreover, their opponent was sent off in one game, and even though they had a numerical advantage, victory was far away.
Ball handling skills are just one part of soccer.
These three games made us keenly aware of how we can win depending on the match situation and the need to make the best choices possible.
After the tournament, a person related to a certain opponent said,
“Japanese players are highly skilled, but many of them don’t know who Marisia is.”
He told me.
Regarding this point, current Nadeshiko Japan coach Nielsen also mentioned something similar.
You can’t win with technology or tactics alone.
Mexican soccer shows what Japan lacks.
The importance of “knowing” Mexican style
Having touched upon the truth behind the “roughness” of Mexican soccer, let’s return to the discussion of Abepura.
“Which is more important in sports, fair play or cunning?”
In the video, many athletes who have competed around the world in various sports, including Chung Dae-se, answered, “It takes cunning.”
However, in the modern Japanese sports world, there is a tendency to emphasize content rather than results.
It would be difficult to adopt the “slyness” of Mexico and Europe in everything. Moreover, I don’t think it would be possible to use the same methods to surpass someone who is already imbued with “slyness,” and the national characteristics are too different to begin with.
This is more important than imitating overseas methods.
It’s about knowing how the other person does things.
If you retaliate against a “rough” play, your opponent will be disappointed. How can you calmly parry your opponent’s style without being surprised? Japan needs to be smart enough to avoid getting caught up in the opponent’s pace.
By learning about styles that don’t exist in Japan, you will not just get the impression that they are “rough”, but you will be able to see what the other person is aiming for.
That will be the first step to winning on the world stage.
Mexican soccer is at the same level as Japan in the world. (FIFA rank: 15th in Mexico, 18th in Japan)
Japan is competing against the world from the same point of view, and is a great country to visit to learn about different styles.
What are they thinking and how did they develop their current style?
Its depth is immeasurable, and it is worth digging deeper into.
I want to follow Mexican soccer this year as well.
