Chivas campeon!

...So reads the headlines across Mexico, and people were dancing in the streets of Morelia near the acueducto. The Chivas of Guadalajara beat the Toluca Devils 2-1 in the second game to capture their 11th Mexican League title, the most of any team in the league's history. (During the tournament, teams play two games, one at home and one away, and then add up the total number of goals scored. Toluca and Guadalajara tied 1-1 last Thursday in Toluca, and the final "global" score was 3-2.)

There are many ecstactic children at Chavez Elementary in Richmond, California, no doubt, as well as an equal number of disgusted ones. The Chivas are the equivalent of the New York Yankees, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Chicago Bulls rolled into one team. Folks in this soccer-crazed country love the Chivas or they love to hate them. Their fan base extends well beyond Guadalajara. There are kids in the US who have never been to Mexico, yet they still have Chivas blood and follow the team religiously via cable or other Spanish stations.

The Chivas are arguably the most dominant team in Mexican soccer history and sent six players to represent the national team in the World Cup this past summer, including captain and goalkeeper Osvaldo Sanchez. The reason they have such a fan base rests in the composition of the players - in order to play for the Chivas, you must be a Mexican national. No foreign players are allowed to suit up in the red and white stripes.

There are two championship tournaments each year, the Apertura (winter) and Clausura (summer), so this won't be the last soccer update. Hopefully, the Monarcas of Morelia will be in contention for the next liguilla.