U.S. Soccer Team Booed in Their Own Country as Mexican Fans Turn LA into an ‘Away’ Game

U.S. Soccer Team Booed in Their Own Country as Mexican Fans Turn LA into an ‘Away’ Game

Daily Mail (London), June 27, 2011

If the U.S. soccer team were hoping for the home advantage during Saturday’s Gold Cup final then they were in for a nasty surprise.

Despite being the ‘home’ side in California’s Rose Bowl stadium, the majority of fans—most of them American born of naturalized Mexicans—booed and jeered the U.S. team.

The surprising scenes were followed by angry outbursts from U.S. team goalkeeper Tim Howard, who was visibly shaken after the entire post match ceremony was conducted in Spanish.

[snip]

Despite the remarkable support for the Mexican side, head coach of the U.S. team Bob Bradley told reporters after the game his team was expecting the hostile crowd.

‘Obviously … the support that Mexico has on the night like tonight makes it a home game for them.

‘It’s part of something we have to deal with on the night.’

[snip]

The game came after it emerged this week ethnic minorities now make up the majority of babies in the United States.

It is the first time that this has been the case and the change reflects a growing age divide between mostly white, older Americans and predominantly minority youths that could reshape government policies.

[snip]

Demographers say the numbers provide the clearest confirmation yet of a changing social order, one in which racial and ethnic minorities will become the U.S. majority by the middle of the century.

Currently, non-Hispanic whites make up just under half of all three-year-olds, which is the youngest age group shown in the Census Bureau’s October 2009 annual survey, its most recent.

In 1990, more than 60 per cent of children in that age group were white.

Long after the game finished Mexico supporters remained, bouncing up and down as they chanted and cheered for their team.

The American’s were not even spared in the trophy ceremony after Mexico’s 4-2 win—booed for one final time as they were announced as runners up.

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