A captivating examination of the competitive history, drama, and politics behind the storied rivalry between the United States and Mexico-in international soccer and beyond.
Soccer is the most global of pastimes, but no international rivalry carries more cultural and geo-political baggage than the United States vs. Mexico, especially today. With the 2026 World Cup set to be co-hosted by the two nations (along with Canada), it's time to shine a spotlight on this storied continental grudge match.
In Sibling Rivalry: How Mexico and the US Built the Most Contentious, Co-Dependent Feud in World Soccer, Hal Phillips investigates the intense, complex associations between the two countries, both on and off the field. He examines the complicated border dynamics, the countries' economic and cultural realities, and the evolution of what was once a one-sided rivalry into an intensely equal, ever-escalating athletic confrontation. Phillips also draws on the stories of Mexican-American stars who opted to play for the US and those who chose to play for Mexico. Their perspectives breathe life into the story and show the impact of this rivalry on a personal level.
More than a million people and 300,000 goods-bearing vehicles traverse the U.S.-Mexico border every day. The countries and their people are intricately intertwined, whether they want to be or not. That's what makes this centuries-old family drama, played out in fascinating detail in Sibling Rivalry, so complicated and compelling.
In anticipation of the 2026 World Cup, this book examines the on- and off-field impacts, modern and historical, of the storied soccer rivalry between the United States and Mexico.
Arvustused
I cannot find the proper words of praise and delight that I felt having read in one fell swoop Hal Phillipss magisterial work on the U.S.-Mexico rivalry in soccer. This is not only a masterpiece in the cultural sociology of rivalries in sports and beyond, but it also features a nuanced command of all things soccer (and sports) deeply ensconced in the larger histories of Mexico and the United States with sumptuous detours into Britain, the Continent, and Latin America. This is a remarkable book! -- Andrei S. Markovits, Karl W. Deutsch Collegiate Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Starting with Seamus Malins terrific intro, Hal Phillipss take on the complex U.S.-Mexico soccer rivalry is nuanced, layered, and deeply felt. Top-notch storytelling for anyone interested in understanding what is really going on beneath the surface whenever the U.S. Men line up against El Tri. -- Ty Keough, US National Team veteran and Mexican American This is a story that touches home, taking us to origins that predate the first U.S.-Mexico encounter and outlining a history more complex than participants and supporters can imagine. This book untangles the complexities and explains how, despite a clash of cultures, the U.S. and Mexico appear to be finding common ground. Surprisingly, considering most soccer rivalries are eternal, Phillips reveals this one could be headed in an unexpected direction leading up to the 2026 World Cup, and beyond. -- Frank DellApa, longtime Boston Globe soccer columnist Hal Phillips examines how the rivalry grew from the heartland of Ohio to Mexico Citys Estadio Azteca, and what the rivalry means on both sides of the border. A really interesting book. Phillips also gives us an important history lesson, not just on the USA-Mexico soccer rivalry and the evolution of the sport in both countries, but on the interdependence between neighboring nations. -- Paul Kennedy, editor, Soccer America
Muu info
In anticipation of the 2026 World Cup, this book examines the on- and off-field impacts, modern and historical, of the storied soccer rivalry between the United States and Mexico.
Foreword, by Seamus Malin
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Rivalries Dont Just Happen
Chapter 2: Stuck With Each Other: Rivalry as Codependence
Chapter 3: A Friendly Meditation: Fear, Loathing & Argie Worship in The GDL
Chapter 4: Of Moles & Molé: How Mexico Seized Unlikely Control of the North
American Derby
Chapter 5: Envy & Scorn in the Borderlands
Chapter 6: Soccer Made in America (or How to Wander in the Footballing
Desert for a Century)
Chapter 7: The 1990s Changed Everything: The Power & Politics of Identity &
Myth
Chapter 8: Veni. Vici. Venue. Where Tribe, Home Ground & Hashtags Collide
Chapter 9: The Accidental Confederation: How Soccers Best, Brightest &
Richest have Come to Covet CONCACAF
Chapter 10: The Unlikely, Once-Marginalized Custodians of a Rivalry Most
Fierce
Bibliography
Notes
Index
About the Author
Hal Phillips is an author, journalist, and media executive based in southern Maine. A daily newspaper and magazine editor until 2001, Phillips has since contributed feature content to ESPN FC, Sports Illustrated, Soccer 365.com, GOLF Magazine, Travel & Leisure, Golf Digest China, Portland Press Herald, and dozens of other outlets. He is the author of Generation Zero: Founding Fathers, Hidden Histories, and the Making of Soccer in America. He was founder and host of the Unsightly American Soccer Podcast from 2009 to 2013 and is a former semi-professional soccer player.
