Mexico
Mexico earns berth. Photo: Paul Martinez
About the Team
Mexico looks to regain top spot on American soil
Mexico has a rich history of junior international competition and twice won the NFL Global Junior Championship, a 19-and-under tournament played annually in the Super Bowl host city from 1997 to 2007.Mexico beat a Team Europe all-star squad 30-6 in the inaugural championship in 1997 in New Orleans and a year later triumphed again by a score of 13-12 over the Europeans in San Diego. The Mexican dominance was halted in 1999 in Fort Lauderdale, and after the introduction of Canada and the United States to the competition, Mexico annually battled Japan for the bronze medal, winning it in 2004, 2005 and 2007.
American football has been played in Mexico since the early 1920s at different colleges and universities. In 1928 the first professional championship was played, and as more universities and colleges joined the championship, four categories - called fuerzas - were created. The First Fuerza became the National League in 1970, and in 1978 it was reorganized under the present federation, ONEFA.
Mexico boasts four players who are members of the NFL International Practice Squad Program and spent the 2008 NFL training camp, preseason and regular season on the practice squads of NFL teams. Linebacker Eduardo Castadena (Arizona Cardinals), defensive tackle Mauricio Lopez (Oakland Raiders), linebacker Manuel Padilla (Denver Broncos), tackle Ramiro Pruneda (San Francisco 49ers) and defensive tackle Saloman Solano (Baltimore Ravens) all excelled in their native Mexico before progressing to the NFL.
Mexico is no stranger to international competition at the collegiate age level. The Aztec Bowl is an NCAA-sanctioned college Division III post-season bowl game that has been played intermittently since at least 1950. With one exception, all of the games have been played at locations in Mexico and since 1997 the bowl has featured a team of AFCA Division III All-Stars against a team of Mexican All-Stars. The Aztec Bowl is traditionally played in mid-December.
Mexico - www.fmfamericano.com