Chivas Vs. America: What's All The Fuss About?

Guadalajara Chivas against Club America is widely known as Mexico`s clasico and the bets are already being placed between friends, neighbors, families and work colleagues. The country is ready to shut down Sunday at 6 p.m. as all eyes turn to the Estadio Omnilife for the battle of Mexico`s two most popular teams. But why all the fuss?

When businessman and media owner Emilio Azcarraga bought America in 1959 it is said he stated: "I don't know anything about football but people have told me that the best players are Brazilians and Argentinians. On that base I'll construct America."

That seems to be the real starting point. The line was drawn in the sand. Chivas held firm as America tried to buy quality players to knock them off their throne during the Campeonismo era in which Chivas dominated the Mexican game like no team had before or have since. By 1966, America had won their first league title and carried on during the 1970s and 80s to confirm themselves as a giant of the Mexican game.

What are the other reasons that the game stirs such emotion?

What follows is a list of reasons I can think of off the top of my head.

1) Chivas are the people`s club of the honest Mexican lower classes / America the glamour club of either the rich or the working class that want to dream.

2) America are proud of their foreign imports that have raised the standard of Mexican football but Chivas stick to their dignified 100% Mexican policy which, in essence, pits two diametrically opposed football philosophies in one game.

3) The game sees the most successful provincial team against the Mexico City giant. Both have fans all over the country. Nobody is neutral. They is a lot of antagonism towards people, teams and everything else from Mexico City from people from other states. Mexico City people are known derrogatively as "chilangos." People from Mexico City talk of the "provincia" when they mention any other place in the country as if it doesn`t matter.

4) America and Chivas are the most successful teams in Mexico on 10 and 11 titles respectively. (Although America claim 14, another source of problems)

5) Televisa, who own America, really needed a national clasico to garner interest all over the country. They suceeded. Chivas were the team they picked off the back of the campeonisimo.