Winning Is Not That Important For Mexico Fans In Qatar

Even though Mexico's team isn't one of the favorites to win the World Cup this year, their supporters don't appear to care.

Omar Soriano, a 32-year-old Mexican native from Toluco, remarked, "We dream with football, we eat with football.

“Here we are all united to back the national team … that’s what our players need … to know we have their backs," he added.

Numerous devoted supporters of El Tri are making their presence known not only at Lusail stadium but also all across Doha by donning sombreros, palm-straw hats, Lucha Libre masks, and Mariachi shoes.

Some had the "La Catrina," a skeletal image that has come to symbolize one of Mexico's most prominent events known as the Day of the Dead march, painted on their faces.

“Football is a stress reliever for Mexicans back home … rich, poor, man or woman, football brings us together,” Soriano told Al Jazeera.

Hundreds of Mexican fans routinely sing and dance while being cheered on by passersby in the renowned Souq Waqif market.

Soriano explained that Mexicans are eager for the “rest of the world” to experience and communicate their very culture.

“We are a very diverse nation with many ethnicities … we are very proud of our culture,” he said. “Back home you won’t see us wearing all this local attire. But here, we would like to promote who Mexicans are. We want to be ambassadors.”

According to Abel Costa, 61, Mexico's advancement out of the group stages would be a "huge win" for the nation and provide it a boost while the country deals with challenging economic and security concerns.

“People back home have so little … There is lots of poverty and violence. People are just trying to make it one day at a time,” said Costa, who traveled to Doha with several male members of his family.

On Saturday, Nov. 26, evening, Mexico faced Argentina, a team it has never beaten in a World Cup tournament. But to the fans, this fact hardly matters.

“The pressure is all on Argentina. They need this one more than us … yes, we need to absolutely win but they are more nervous,” Costa said prior to the game.