MEXICO CITY — After Mexico’s 2-0 victory over Ecuador in the first round of the knockout stage of the World Cup, fans streamed into the streets here to celebrate, blowing horns, waving flags and shouting: “Let’s go to the Angel!”
An estimated 1 million people had flocked to the Angel of Independence, a towering monument on Mexico City’s main boulevard, to watch the game on massive screens. More revelers headed there after the match to party. Red, green and white fireworks exploded, music boomed and strangers danced and cheered together.
But the street was much too crowded. Panic surged, and many fans found themselves packed together with no clear escape.
Three people died from suffocation, authorities said. A fourth reveler died from a heart attack.
The tragedy dampened what had been nation-wide jubilation over the unexpected triumphs of El Tri, as Mexico’s national team is known. The squad has won four matches in a row at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City’s legendary stadium, elevating it for first time in four decades to the round of 16 phase of the competition.
Mexico’s improbable run after years of failing to make it out of the group stage has sparked a feeling of collective hope, a rare commodity in a country battling powerful drug cartels, a stagnant economy and unprecedented pressure from President Trump. An informal slogan has emerged here: “¿Y si?” It means “What if?” What if Mexico’s team is able, somehow, to pull off the extraordinary?
The country’s massive celebrations have made international headlines, with videos of exuberant fans rocking cars and even buses going viral. During the Ecuador match, so many fans jumped simultaneously after Mexico scored that seismographs here registered “artificial earthquakes.”
But there has been a dark side to the revelry. Two other tragedies have also marred celebrations here.
In Cabo San Lucas last month, a crowd rejoicing over Mexico’s victory over the Czech Republic rocked a car in the street. The driver accelerated, wounding 17 people. A similar incident in Chihuahua City after Mexico’s win over South Korea also resulted in injuries.
As Mexico’s team prepares to take on England on Sunday night, a match that many predict will be the toughest yet for El Tri, authorities nationwide are vowing to strengthen safety protocols.
Authorities in Mexico City say they will again erect screens along the Paseo de la Reforma, the capital’s iconic thoroughfare, but will space them out to keep crowds from congregating at a single point.
Mayor Clara Brugada discouraged fans for going to the Angel monument, saying the city would offer celebrations at other locations.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said authorities were investigating what went wrong during the deadly stampede at the Angel — but deflected blame from officials.
“It’s very difficult to deploy police to contain 1 million people,” she said.
She urged fans “to avoid excessive alcohol consumption” during Sunday’s match, and asked them to look out for each other. “Act responsibly,” she said.
Sheinbaum, a leftist populist, has declined to attend World Cup games in person, saying “tickets are very expensive.”
But she has celebrated each of the team’s victories at her daily news conference, recently inviting to the stage Merlin, a duck that became an internet sensation for waddling among fans along Reforma in a green Mexico jersey.
Cecilia Sánchez Vidal in the Times’ Mexico bureau contributed to this report.
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