LOS ANGELES – Greatness. Easy to define. Difficult to square. Even more so in Mexican soccer. There is no tailor capable of flawlessly fitting such a suit to the amorphous bodies of the teams in the region.
Greatness. The Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) draws a profile so simple, but so broad, that it makes it even more difficult to dress someone in such silk. “Majesty and bearing,” explains the RAE. “Elevation of spirit, elevation of morality.” “Extension, size, magnitude.” “Excessive size of something, compared to something else of the same genre,” adds the RAE.
In the falsified use of the term, and in its abuse, in Mexican soccer Chivas, América, Cruz Azul and Pumas were exalted to such conditions of “greatness”. The weather, the drought, its demographics, its minor importance and its inconsistency collapsed the fragile niches of Machine and of the UNAM. They lived on borrowed money.
Beyond terms such as “elevation of spirit and moral elevation”, or “majesty and bearing”, which evidently quarrel with Americanism for the pernicious links with the power that manipulates and handcuffs Mexican soccer, The nest It has endorsed it on the court, based on consistency and prominence, of all kinds, from the glory of conquests to the shamelessness of scandals.
All this and the growing population of fans, allows that, given the low standards of Mexican soccer, the term “greatness” remains the same. Yes, America pays the fee for the noble title of the Fifth Courtyard of Mexican soccer. With more titles won, in addition, he has found a way to intrude on all conversations, thanks to his perfidious baptism as the #Hate me more.
But and Chivas? Does it deserve to stay there? Do youChivas dwarfs the term of greatness? Or is it the same word greatness that dwarfs Chivas?
The Guadalajara He lives on his noble titles. It was the aristocrat of the neighborhood. He has a blazon, a heraldry that is the envy of all in Mexican soccer. Alcurnia, rancid, certainly, but ancestry: “El Campeonísimo”, for that era, legendary, without a doubt, in which he expropriated the leadership of his football neighborhood.
Between 1956 and 1965, the Guadalajara recruited glories and trophies. Seven titles of First division; six from Champion of Champions; a Mexico Cup and a Concacaf Champion of Champions was his harvest. Not bad for a team that had proudly raised the flag of Mexicanism.
In addition, the Challenger Cup, made of solid gold, for the team that added three consecutive or five alternate titles, was awarded only once in the professional era of Mexican soccer. Won it Chivas when crowned in 1959, 1960 and 1961. In the amateur era, it was won by the America (1924-1927) and the Real Club Spain, this one twice, and by the way the mastermind of the original trophy.
But this type of greatness, that of the Champion, is exposed to two phenomena. It can grow old, get rich, get stronger … or rot, wither, grow old to decrepitude.
That term “Champion” has become the obsession of many. Salvador Martinez Garza at the time of the Promoter Guadalajara, and Jorge Vergara They promised a new version of that legendary team. Even for Emilio Azcárraga JeanIt is a defect, a trauma, inherited from his father, who despite his efforts, has not been able to build his own version of the “Champion of Coapa.”
An undeniable legend of world football, pioneer of the structure of Barcelona, the Dutch Johan cruyff, was hired by Chivas to rebuild it. With the stark frankness of the Netherlands, he questioned the greatness of the Guadalajara.
“If you take the history from 1960 to today, it’s poor, maybe not the first ten years, but the last 40 …”, he said. Cruyff in October 2012. The Dutchman wanted to carry out a major operation, down to the foundations, down to the guts. He would end up fired via email in his sleep.
At the time, Cruyff blamed Jorge Vergara already Angelica Fuentes, “Who,” he said, makes all the decisions, “for not respecting the agreements, especially in a background work in the administration and organizational chart of the team.
“A title in 13 years, that’s not greatness,” he said. Cruyff after breaking up with him Guadalajara.
Chivas live a new crisis. This Saturday, within the Opening 2021, with one more man, tied against Monterrey. Add six points out of 18 possible. And he takes out that goalless equalizer under the petty doctrine with which he directs Victor Manuel Vucetich, who, in addition, makes six changes compared to the previous meeting, desperate for that humiliating 0-3 against León.
Monterrey and Chivas split points in Nuevo León. 🤝
Despite playing more than 30 minutes with one more footballer, the ‘rojiblancos’ could not break the tie and ended 0-0. 🔵 🐐 pic.twitter.com/dxqVGzgvX2
– ESPN Sports (@ESPNDeportes) August 22, 2021
In 34 years, Chivas he has won four titles. And today it seems very far from being able to get another one. And the greatness?
By the end of 2019, Chivas started a project to make success a tenant of his memories. It has failed. Since then, he has invested just over $ 50 million, since signing Ricardo Peláez as a sports director to a bunch of alleged reinforcements who went from being profitable footballers to medium hair players, such as Alexis Vega, Uriel antuna, Chicote Calderón, Canelo Angulo, among others.
The team has had rumble of hope, such as eliminating the America in the Quarterfinals, with three goals from ChicoteBut, neither the player nor the team could survive that shining moment.
And the greatness of Chivas, dwarfs it Chivas. And the classification of greatness, by definition, in the Mexican soccer orphanage, is dwarfed by Chivas.
“We will move forward,” he promised Pelaez before the game before Monterrey. It did not happen. Vucetich He tried a different frame and it didn’t work. He has worked out more than 30 alignments since his arrival. He does not find the square to the circle.
This Saturday, at the press conference, the former King midas He came, but only to give a message, as concise, inconsistent, fragile, unsustainable, like the team itself in its football.
“What we have been living makes us uncomfortable. The facts are what we have to be commenting on. No more excuses! The fans want results and it is what we have to look for, it is what we are constantly looking for and we will continue like this ”, he said. Vucetich. A small speech for such a big disaster. A poor rhetoric for the greatness of a team like Chivas.
Thus, to Chivas Its history makes it great, but its present dwarfs it. It is the most popular team in two countries: Mexico and the United States. Your people are the most powerful and valuable of your assets. That I knew and understood Jorge Vergara. “This team belongs to his hobby,” he said at the time.
Today, day by day, week by week, it is clear, Chivas dwarfs their greatness.
Therefore, it is necessary to insist:Chivas dwarfs the term of greatness? Or is it the same word greatness that dwarfs Chivas?