The madness of the Mexican fans was completely unleashed on Tuesday night in Southern California, particularly in Los Angeles and other cities with a large concentration of immigrants from this country who celebrated the victory of the Tricolor over Ecuador in the streets.

With fireworks in the Placita Olvera, the singing of 'Cielito Lindo' and the crowd dancing 'No Rompas Más' by Caballo Dorado in the Plaza de la Cultura y Arte, the curtain closed on Mexico's historic passage to the round of 16 of the Soccer World Cup.

“This goat was my lucky charm,” said Xóchitl Alicia Cervantes, one of the most enthusiastic fans of the Tricolor. “I even put the Mexico shirt on him.”

Gathered in the central area of ​​the city of Los Angeles, hundreds of fans gave free rein to their euphoria, because Mexico finally returned to the fifth game of a World Cup, where they will face England on Sunday.

Biting her nails and almost on the verge of collapse with emotions, Cristina Sandoval also squeezed her African-American husband Powell Rashaan, who understood little about soccer, but was there to support his wife.

“You have no choice but to support me,” said she, who after Julián Quiñones' 1-0 win took the time to send a crying emoji of joy to her mother, Naty, born in the State of Mexico, who was in Redondo Beach.

Her friend, Francis Jacobo, a mental health therapist, was screaming wildly about the Mexican team's fourth consecutive victory in the World Cup.

“I think I'll have to give myself therapy or go to a psychiatrist!” she jokingly mentioned and laughed loudly.

Being Mexican “means a lot”

Numerous fans of the Mexican team stood in line, even five hours before the match. Nayeli Martínez, accompanied by her sisters Mellisa and Karla, and her Afro-Mexican son, Jayson Camper, 15, did not waste time when they became the first to enter the place and, sitting on the synthetic grass, they took advantage of the time to eat tacos and drink fresh strawberry water and horchata.

“Being Mexican means a lot to me,” said Jayson, a Compton resident, dressed in his green Mexico shirt. "I like soccer, food and music from Mexico; that's why I came to support my mother and the Mexican team."

At the Mexican government's hospitality space during the World Cup, set up to celebrate the history shared by Mexicans and Mexican Americans, a Zumba session was offered for fans, led by members of GYMYG, a global fitness community and certified trainers.

The problem for young Mexican Americans like Noel Velazquez and Abraham Placensia was that they both gave the impression of having two left feet and stiff hips because they had a hard time following in the footsteps of 'Waka Waka' by the Colombian Shakira or the song 'Despacito' by the Puerto Rican Luis Fonsi and his compatriot, the rapper Daddy Yankee.

“We are Mexicans and we don't hold back at all,” said Abraham, 21, a criminal justice student at Cal State Northridge. “I liked dancing Zumba, but I like dancing reggaeton more.”

Chinese-Mexican celebrates in style

Because the start of the meeting was postponed for an hour due to heavy rains in the capital of the Mexican Republic, Ana Leticia Ma, a Chinese-Mexican, was nervous.

"Don't stain. I didn't know if Mexico was going to win," said the woman, a geography student at Rio Hondo College. "But they had to do it. Mexico had to win by heart."

To entertain the impatient Tri fans, music was provided by Shakira and Karol G, from the group SonideroNacional, the musical collective from Monterrey, which fuses musical styles such as hip hop, reggae and electronica with tropical rhythms such as cumbia, vallenato, ska and afrobeat.

There was also no shortage of Ginza, by J. Balvin, and the guarachera from Cuba, Celia Cruz with 'La Negra Hace Tumbao' or 'LaPuerta Negra' by Los Tigres del Norte.

"Mexicans are bastards. We are the mere soup!" said a euphoric Julio Escareño, who gave free rein to the joy over El Tri's victory.

"Apart from being bastards and fighters in life, we never say no to anything or anyone; we are kind and help everyone, like our countrymen did with the Iranian team," added the Chilango fan, also a lover of wrestling, who was wearing a Super Muñeco mask.

The emotion at the House of Culture and Art was latent at all times. Many were surprised with the maturity of the young people of the Mexican team and some established ones.

"They are not afraid of success. Look at that little boy [Gilberto] Mora. Now there are players who have to wear the national shirt," said Rosa Adame from Jalisco, who was next to her husband Horacio. "There are no longer only those who are recommended and they wear the uniform well. They don't go out with fear. They go out to win like [Raúl] Jiménez and Julián Quiñones."