Mexico men’s national team striker Raúl Jiménez voiced his frustrations with home fans on Saturday night after boos rained down on goalkeeper Tala Rangel in a scoreless draw against Uruguay in Torreón.
The Chivas goalkeeper was insulted and booed throughout the match as Mexican supporters made it known that they preferred either Carlos Acevedo or Luis Angel Malagón as their potential starting goalkeepers.
The jeering came amid a rare home match for Mexico. Of their 49 games since the 2022 World Cup, El Tri has played 39 in the United States and just seven in Mexico.
While the Concacaf Nations League and Concacaf Gold Cup were in the U.S., Mexico have also played 20 friendlies since the 2022 World Cup, 17 of which have been north of the border.
“It’s sad to play at home and get booed, to hear people shout ‘Vasco out’ or yell ‘puto’ at the goalkeeper,” Jiménez told TV Azteca Deportes. “That’s what’s really sad. Maybe that’s why they always take us to the United States.”
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As World Cup co-hosts alongside the United States and Canada, Mexico automatically qualified for next summer’s tournament. They have been restricted to friendlies as preparation following their Gold Cup victory.
The scoreless draw with Uruguay on Saturday night marked Mexico’s fifth straight match without a win, all of which have come against opponents bound for the 2026 World Cup. In the run, they have lost to Colombia, and drawn with Japan, South Korea and Ecuador, in addition to the recent match against La Celeste.
Playing at home is unlikely to become a regular occurrence either, with match promotion opportunities offering the potential for higher revenue, increased exposure and access to larger top-tier NFL and college football venues throughout the United States.
Mexico will head to the U.S. for their final game of 2025 as well, as they take on Paraguay on Tuesday in San Antonio.
Next year, Mexico will play at least three games on home soil, with their group-stage World Cup matches guaranteed to be in Mexico City and Guadalajara. There will now likely be concerns from FIFA about the infamous chant and now Mexico’s home reception.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mexico Star Eviscerates His Own Team’s Fans After Rare Home Friendly .