"It's a very special day in Colorado," said Jose Lopez, a native of Uruguay. "In Denver, it's very difficult for Uruguay — whether it's soccer or rugby or whatever — it's difficult to catch them."
Uruguay's soccer team hasn't come to Denver since 1991, when it lost to the U.S. Men's National Team at then-Mile High Stadium. That game brought out 36,000 fans, but Wednesday's matchup against Mexico's National Team, known by its fans as "El Tri," far surpassed that total with 58,000 people. Most came to root for Mexico, but that didn't block the excitement of Uruguay's few faithful fans.
"We're so excited," Lopez said, standing alongside his wife and another couple from Uruguay. "Like any other nation would be, we're proud, and soccer runs in our blood."
Although the game was a friendly match — it didn't impact either teams' league records or any tournament rankings — it was a preview of the Copa América, which starts on June 20 and is the most competitive tournament among teams from the American continents. Uruguay is tied with Argentina for the most Copa América championships, with fifteen each; Mexico has never won a Copa América.
While the sea of Mexico fans wearing green, white and red nearly obscured any signs of the pale blue and white of Uruguay's flag, Andrea Boyd, a teacher living in Severance who moved from her native Uruguay a decade ago, said that she had never seen so many Uruguayans in one place as she did during the game.
"Ever since I've moved to Colorado, I've only met one other Uruguayan," Boyd said, adding that "it gave me goosebumps" when she saw the players the night before on TV drinking mate, an herbal tea popular in Uruguay.
Uruguay is a country of 3.5 million people wedged between the Atlantic coasts of Brazil and Argentina. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Colorado is home to fewer than 700 Uruguayan-born immigrants and more than 200,000 Mexican-born immigrants. "We're very few," Lopez noted.
Mexico fans from Denver and others who had come from around the state and beyond went into the game feeling confident of an El Tri victory. Alejandro Acosta was blowing a vuvuzela, the loud horns beloved by soccer fans worldwide, as he entered Empower Field. "To Uruguay, we're very sorry, and hopefully you do well in the Copa América," he boasted. "But Mexico is number one, sorry."
Uruguay would seize the day and embarrass Mexico's team, however. Just seven minutes into the game, Uruguay scored a goal while most fans were still making their way into the stadium. Uruguay scored two more goals before halftime, with one coming during the last minute of the first half.
During halftime, Sofia Marques, who moved to Fort Collins from Uruguay three years ago, said she was thrilled with Uruguay's leading score.
"I had the inclination that we were going to win. I guess I still don't know, but to be ahead three goals is a bunch," Marques noted. "We're very few. It's rare that we can get really loud during the goals, but it's very beautiful to represent the country and be here. Also, we're all Latin Americans, though, so we feel right at home."
Mexico fan Angel Montiel, who showed up dressed in a Mexican-flag poncho, straw sombrero and a silver luchador mask, and friend Miguel Avila, who wore the costume of El Chapulín Colorado, an iconic Mexican TV character, still thought their team could come back in the second half.
"You can't lose hope," said Avila. "Our defense isn't working. They didn't bring the best players from Mexico. This is just a tryout."
"They're too new. They lack experience and a good coach," Montiel agreed. "Uruguay is a good team. They're playing real well. They've always been a good team."
But Boyd thought the Uruguay team was showing a lot of "garra Charrúa," referring to the spirit of courage against overwhelming odds inherited from the country's Indigenous people, the Charrúa. Garra Charrúa is how Uruguay won two World Cups in 1930 and 1950, she explained, and that was what put the team ahead in a venue that had so many Mexico fans that Boyd said she felt like she was in Mexico.
"It's very special that the players — even though they're playing pretty much in Mexico — they are winning," Boyd said. She noted that the Mexico team uses the slogan "Somos Locales" — We're Local — when it's touring in the U.S., "and it's the truth."
Uruguay didn't waver in the second half, though, and scored again when the team's forward, Darwin Núñez, made his third goal to complete the hat trick. Mexico fans became rowdy during the last minutes of the game, with one fan running onto the field and others throwing their drinks onto the field and at each other.
Mexico fan Octavio Paredes, who came with his son Octavio Jr., said that Mexico's team was too inexperienced and outmatched by Uruguay, which he admitted is a talented team. But it was still worth it to pay the $60 per ticket, because he and his son came for the "vibe," he explained.
"They lost, but it's all right. They played good players," Paredes added. "We didn't come to see who wins. We came to see them play. We have to understand that the coach is watching players to decide who he'll select" for the Copa América.
Uruguayan-born Denver resident Daniel Umpierrez brought his nineteen-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son, who were both born in the U.S., to watch his nation's team. He felt "real good, really happy" seeing Uruguay win.
"Happy because even though it was friendly, they played really well," Umpierrez said. "They look ready for the Copa América."
Mexico fans from Denver and others who had come from around the state and beyond went into the game feeling confident of an El Tri victory. Alejandro Acosta was blowing a vuvuzela, the loud horns beloved by soccer fans worldwide, as he entered Empower Field. "To Uruguay, we're very sorry, and hopefully you do well in the Copa América," he boasted. "But Mexico is number one, sorry."
Uruguay would seize the day and embarrass Mexico's team, however. Just seven minutes into the game, Uruguay scored a goal while most fans were still making their way into the stadium. Uruguay scored two more goals before halftime, with one coming during the last minute of the first half.
During halftime, Sofia Marques, who moved to Fort Collins from Uruguay three years ago, said she was thrilled with Uruguay's leading score.
"I had the inclination that we were going to win. I guess I still don't know, but to be ahead three goals is a bunch," Marques noted. "We're very few. It's rare that we can get really loud during the goals, but it's very beautiful to represent the country and be here. Also, we're all Latin Americans, though, so we feel right at home."
Fans of Mexico's Men's National Soccer Team were confident El Tri would beat Uruguay.
Bennito L. Kelty
"You can't lose hope," said Avila. "Our defense isn't working. They didn't bring the best players from Mexico. This is just a tryout."
"They're too new. They lack experience and a good coach," Montiel agreed. "Uruguay is a good team. They're playing real well. They've always been a good team."
But Boyd thought the Uruguay team was showing a lot of "garra Charrúa," referring to the spirit of courage against overwhelming odds inherited from the country's Indigenous people, the Charrúa. Garra Charrúa is how Uruguay won two World Cups in 1930 and 1950, she explained, and that was what put the team ahead in a venue that had so many Mexico fans that Boyd said she felt like she was in Mexico.
"It's very special that the players — even though they're playing pretty much in Mexico — they are winning," Boyd said. She noted that the Mexico team uses the slogan "Somos Locales" — We're Local — when it's touring in the U.S., "and it's the truth."
Uruguay didn't waver in the second half, though, and scored again when the team's forward, Darwin Núñez, made his third goal to complete the hat trick. Mexico fans became rowdy during the last minutes of the game, with one fan running onto the field and others throwing their drinks onto the field and at each other.
Mexico's team was missing a few notable players and fan favorites, including 39-year-old Guilhermo "Memo" Ochoa, who has been the starting goalie for El Tri for the last three World Cups. Uruguay was also missing longtime forward Luis Suarez, who's in the twilight of his career at age 37.
Mexico fan Octavio Paredes, who came with his son Octavio Jr., said that Mexico's team was too inexperienced and outmatched by Uruguay, which he admitted is a talented team. But it was still worth it to pay the $60 per ticket, because he and his son came for the "vibe," he explained.
"They lost, but it's all right. They played good players," Paredes added. "We didn't come to see who wins. We came to see them play. We have to understand that the coach is watching players to decide who he'll select" for the Copa América.
Uruguayan-born Denver resident Daniel Umpierrez brought his nineteen-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son, who were both born in the U.S., to watch his nation's team. He felt "real good, really happy" seeing Uruguay win.
"Happy because even though it was friendly, they played really well," Umpierrez said. "They look ready for the Copa América."
Mario Silveira, another Denver resident from Uruguay, walked out of Empower Field with the Uruguayan flag draped over his shoulders. He felt "very proud that Uruguay has won," he said.
"I expected them to win, but not with such a high score," he added. "It's very special, because Uruguay almost never comes to Denver. My kids' mom is from Mexico; one [kid] goes for Uruguay and one for Mexico. It's very beautiful that it creates this kind of rivalry in the family."
"I expected them to win, but not with such a high score," he added. "It's very special, because Uruguay almost never comes to Denver. My kids' mom is from Mexico; one [kid] goes for Uruguay and one for Mexico. It's very beautiful that it creates this kind of rivalry in the family."
Aside from a Copa América preview, the game was part of the MexTour, an annual series of friendly matches meant to show off talent on the Mexican National Team. The first MexTour game was against Bolivia in Chicago on May 31; Mexico won 1-0. The next will be in Houston against Brazil on June 8.
After the Copa América, the MexTour will continue with two games in September. The team will play New Zealand at the Rose Bowl in California on September 7 and then Canada in Arlington, Texas, on September 10.
The MexTour brings El Tri to Denver every few years. The last time Mexico played in Denver was in 2021, and it was a major event, the first-ever CONCACAF Nations League championship game for teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean. The game had been delayed by about a year because of COVID and drew about 38,000 fans.
Mexico lost that game, too, 3-2. It was against the United States.
