Before tonight's game between Mexico and Iceland, a number of questions get to our head. Why are these teams playing, if there's no International break around the world? Well, that reason has to do with the almighty dollar.
Mexico is well-known to be one of the busiest National Teams out there. Last year alone, El Tri played 15 games between friendly matches and competitive games, which included CONCACAF's World Cup Qualifiers and the Copa América Centenario.
What stands out the most about those friendly games, is that none of them were held on Mexican soil. In fact, all of them were played in the United States. Miami, San Diego, Chicago, Atlanta and Nashville hosted Mexico's friendlies, in order to give the Latin American fans living in those cities some entertainment.
"Chicharito" Hernández scored Mexico's only goal against Chile in a friendly match held in Chicago on June 1, 2016.
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But why does Mexico choose to play in the U.S.? Their partnership with Soccer United Marketing has a lot to do with it, since Mexico earns one million dollars per match played in American soil.
Numbers published by Mexican newspaper Reforma show that El Tri is the fourth highest-paid National Team in Latin America. Brazil owns the first place, earning two million dollars to play a friendly match in the U.S.. A Canarinha is followed closely in that department by Argentina, a team that collects between $1.15M and $1.40M per game. Colombia comes in third place by earning just over a million dollars, with El Tri finishing up in the 4th spot with one millon per game.
So, if you are a fan of football and wondered why Mexico spends so much time in the U.S. playing friendlies, there are one million rea$ons for it to happen.
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