ArcaMax

SAN DIEGO -- Being Mexican American means never having to say 'thank you' ... to Mexico.

It's been that way for 178 years, ever since the end of the U.S.-Mexican War. That skirmish -- which was meant to cover up a land grab -- lasted from 1846 to 1848 and resulted in the United States seizing roughly half of Mexico's territory.

This was the 19th Century's version of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but with cannons instead of drones.

Mexican Americans were left behind enemy lines, while the Mexicans were south of the border. Although they share the same language, culture, music and food, they were separate tribes.

This summer, a lot changed. All because of the so-called 'beautiful game' and the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Now, I have to give thanks -- a sincere gracias -- to Mexico for the lovely gift its soccer team gave to Mexican Americans.

While it lost to England in the Round of 16, Mexico did better than most of the 48 countries playing in the tournament. Mexico defeated South Africa, South Korea, Czechia, and Ecuador without giving up a single goal. That deserves respect.

Hundreds of miles away from the famed Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexican Americans in red, white and green soccer jerseys watched every play and cheered on the Mexican team loud enough for family members in heaven to hear the ruckus.

As for how I fit in, there is a backstory.

I have no use for Mexico. Because once upon a time, it had no use for my grandfather. He was poor, dark and uneducated. Mexico offered nothing to those who fit that profile.

I reserve my gratitude for the United States. It was this country that took in my grandfather when he fled Chihuahua with his family as a boy during the Mexican Revolution, which lasted from 1910 to 1920. The brood came legally. It wasn't possible to come illegally until after the Immigration Act of 1924.

As a Mexican American who is seen as a Mexican in the United States but an American in Mexico, I don't owe the homeland a damn thing.

Over the years, I have shared this sentiment with high-level members of the Mexican government. These days, some Mexican leaders are trying to mend fences with the estimated 38 million Mexican Americans in the United States. They see us as key to improving U.S.-Mexico relations.

Good luck with that, amigos. In Mexico, my Mexican American brethren and I are called 'pochos' -- a weak substitute for the real thing, watered-down salsa, an overly assimilated Mexican who passes for white because his Spanish is so poor.

In school, Mexicans are never taught that, up in the north, there is a branch on the family tree consisting of American-style Mexicans. Because we're a reminder of a lost war and humiliating conquest, part of Mexico would like to forget we exist.

Come to think of it, there are two things for which I'm grateful to Mexico: my grandfather, who taught me the importance of a work ethic and taking care of one's family; and my Mexican-born wife, who taught me a lot of other things.

I'm in a mixed marriage. I'm a Mexican American with an identity crisis. I'm too Mexican to be 100% American, and too American to be 100% Mexican. By contrast, my wife's identity is intact. A legal immigrant from Mexico who came to the United States as a child and became a U.S. citizen, she is a full-blooded Mexican. You can take the girl out of Guadalajara, but not Guadalajara out of the girl.

And, as I have seen firsthand over the last several weeks, this is especially true when Mexico's team is on a winning streak in the World Cup. My wife cheered for her team in every game Mexico played, even though the last one wounded her heart.

I know about such wounds. During the second Trump administration, life in the United States has become harder and crueler for Mexican Americans. Indiscriminate ICE raids fueled by racial profiling and other unlawful immigration enforcement gimmicks seem intended to marginalize anyone with brown skin.

For Mexicans Americans, this infusion of cultural pride came at just the right time. We needed this.

Gracias, Mexico. It was a good ride. Thanks for the passion and the great games. Thanks for welcoming us home and letting us reconnect. You should be very proud of the boys. Los muchachos fought like warriors.

Keep the beer cold. We'll see you in 2030 for the next fiesta and another family reunion.

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To find out more about Ruben Navarrette and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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