The Jogo Bonito Arrives in Aggieland

On Saturday, 16th of December, 2023, as the 12thMan eagerly anticipated the arrival eleven days later of the Texas Bowl, where the Texas A&M Football team would close out its season in Houston at NRG Stadium, a contingent from various departments across Texas A&M University (including Kindra Fry, Assistant Athletic Director for Special Events, Scot Obergefell, Associate Athletic Director for Facilities, and Nick McKenna, A&M’s Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Fields) were walking around the grounds surrounding the Los Angeles Coliseum, where the 2023 MexTour would close out it’s 20th anniversary season with the Mexican National Team taking on its counterpart from Colombia.

The goal of that visit: a mutual assessment by the MexTour organizers and the Aggie crew as to whether to undertake something of this magnitude at Kyle Field in the Bryan-College Station metroplex.

As the Aggie delegation walked the grounds surrounding the iconic stadium, they would witness the crowds entering the AT&T Futbol Fiesta, a single, massive tailgate party, as well as the match; McKenna’s sentiment was “we can do this – our team is used to putting together a great product week after week, year after year for national audiences.”

The team’s consensus was “let’s show them what Aggies can do.”

Rumours began to spread and there were rumblings of a potential futbol match between the National Team of Mexico and the World Cup penta-champions Brasil.

Once officially announced, fans of both nations both local and some from out of the country were hungrily awaiting the news of when tickets would become available.

Most locals are very familiar with the Fall festivities that occur on the grounds surrounding Kyle Field, from tailgates at Aggie Park to near sellouts of the colossus that we like to call The Cathedral of Brazos Valley.

The immediate question became, can the attendance record be broken at Kyle Field – a place where in the 2023 season the football team averaged 99,234 with a student population in full force.

McKenna’s field team worked tirelessly with advice from the US’ Major League Soccer on expanding the natural grass gridiron and, more importantly, converting it into a futbol pitch worthy of the two FIFA rivals

As the day approached, anticipation around town grew exponentially and local media held live remote events for fans to meet some of their futbol idols.

The calm before the storm

The Friday before the match, as media began to arrive and while many picked up their press passes, TV engineers and crews worked tirelessly inside Kyle Field ensuring everything was ready for an international broadcast.

As I walked onto the nearly empty Kyle Field, I was once again struck by its beauty while goosebumps and emotion began to take over. The goal posts, which have adorned this sacred grown since 1904, where nowhere to be found; instead, two futbol goals, the like normally seen at Ellis Field on the West Side of Campus, stood in their place.

McKenna’s team did a phenomal job expanding the field onto the track - there was no level change from the normal field to extended pitch. After spending some time with McKenna, I walked around Kyle Field and languages not normally heard on Saturday’s echoed around the grounds as TV and Radio crews recorded segments in their native tongues Spanish or Portuguese.

As crews were putting the final touches around Aggie Park for AT&T’s Futbol Fiesta, a thought struck me: on Aggie Game Day, I normally make my way to the Aggie Hispanic Network tailgate which is normally greatly animated with amazing music – Aggie Park knows not what is coming on Saturday.

I left campus and made my way to join the La Jefa 102.7FM crew at a remote event in College Station where Carlos Salcido, the Chivas and Tigres great, would make an appearance. It was at this moment that I witnessed how excited the local community was for this event - despite the heat, there was an enormous line of fans hopeful of scoring tickets for the match, as well as getting an opportunity to meet Salcido.

Salcido arrived amidst a very well-behaved crowd and he took extreme care in posing for pictures, talking with fans and signing autographs for everyone – I was very impressed with the care he showed towards everyone with whom he interacted. Kids and adults alike left the event with great big smiles on their faces.

Howdy Futbol World

The day many had circled on their calendar finally arrived – there had been several events to build up the excitement since Thursday night.

I went to Seabrook, Texas, for my nephew’s (a Fish Sea Aggie) graduation party and on the drive back through the “Aggie Expressway,” the magnitude of the occasion began to sink in…

…as we approached Navasota, we encountered a young boy waving a Mexican flag with passion and fervor; as we neared his location, I began honking and suddenly realized that a family of about 20 folks were sitting on the front lawn awaiting the kickoff of their beloved “Tri” taking on the giants from Brasil – everyone, including my wife, as she rolled down her window, began chanting “Mexico! Mexico! Mexico!”

My GPS app Waze worked vigorously to get me on campus well ahead of the appointed kickoff time and, more importantly, well ahead of the what I expected to be a special on-field “march-in.”

As we approached the west side of campus through Marion Pugh Drive, the crawling pace was not a bother. We rolled down the windows as we saw throngs of fans in a kaleidoscope of kits – not only Mexico and Brasil kits, also kits from their respective leagues.

Fans were singing and dancing on their pilgrimage to Kyle Field – as we pulled up to the lots surrounding Reed Arena, one Mexican Kit struck out to me – maroon and white with the Mexican Federation Logo – how fitting for Aggieland.

Fields that normally have a variety of Aggie tailgate parties had a single one with remarkable latin music – a mix of Mexican and Brasilian beats. It was at this point that the biggest revelation occurred – as we walked to campus past where we normally have our Bryan Broadcasting Corporation tailgate tent, I realized this truly isn’t your ordinary Aggie Football Saturday.

There were street vendors throughout out the grounds, Latin music of all sorts and chants that echoed through the tunnel which extols “There’s a Spirit can ne’er be told.”

We took a bike ride to get to Kyle Field quicker and, as Grupo Frontera’s “un x100to” played, the crowd parted the way and sang and danced along the chorus accompanied by Bad Bunny’s vocals.

In the Fall, I normally see a sea of Aggie Maroon with specks of our visiting rivals; this Saturday, it was “La Verde” of Mexico along with the “Verde Amarela” of Brasil.

I made my way to the press box and was touched to be greeted by the familiar security, elevator, and food services crew. It was odd to not walk into my broadcast booth, yet I ensured the folks who were using our booth knew how to receive audio into it for a better experience. I arrived to my assigned seat and truly loved getting to greet and meet the great Ian Curtis from The Battalion’s Sports Beat.

I knew that since I was not broadcasting, I would have the ability to roam throughout the stadium. I had talked with Curtis before the match for one of his articles about the surreal fact that I would get to hear the national anthems of both nations prior to the match; as such, I had one goal in mind: make my way into the stands to soak the notes and chorus to both anthems.

Growing up in Mexico, I had two teams that I followed throughout my forming years – during the Mexico 1970 World Cup, Brasil, based in Guadalajara, became the adopted favorite by the Mexican fans as such, it became my backup team. I had seen Mexico play Brasil at the “Death Star” in Arlington 12 years ago – nothing could have prepared me for the Kyle Field experience.

"Retumba En Su Centro La Tierra"

I have experienced the Aggie Football Team running onto the field many times – it truly is one of the best entrances and I love broadcasting in the middle of the 12th Man leading the team onto the gridiron. This was not the entrance on Saturday.

At 19:56 on Saturday, 8th of June, 2024, something that I never imagined in my wildest dreams happened - the National Teams of Mexico and Brazil stepped onto the pitch at Kyle Field.

At 19:58, the notes composed by Francisco Manuel da Silva in 1831 began playing throughout this beautiful Cathedral – I have heard this anthem many times through the television watching the Brasilian futbol legends signing it; hearing it live was something special.

At 20:00, hearing “Mexicanos al grito de Guerra” brought tears to my eyes – I’ve always called A&M the school my grandfather built. Hearing those beloved notes for the first time ever within the stadium I’ve adopted as my sports home was something I will never forget.

Futbol in Kyle Field

As I made my way back to the press box for kick off, it felt strange to not stand for a match in Kyle Field. I noticed something unique, conversations could be heard in multiple languages on the 8th Level – once again, not your normal Saturday night.

In friendlies, both teams normally start tentative and measure each other out. Watching both teams on the pitch, I was reminded of the London 2012 Olympic Final when Oribe Peralta shocked the world and scored for Mexico just 29 seconds into the match. I wondered what this match would bring.

At the 5’ mark, Savio de Oliveira passed the ball to mid-fielder Andreas Pereira and the first ever futbol goal in the history of Kyle Field was recorded to the roar of the Brasileiros and the Samba beats were kicked up a notch.

Both teams settled into the rhythm of the match and at the 27’ Brasil’s defender Yan Coutto had the privilege of going into the history books as the first yellow card at Kyle Field.

At the 40’ a foul was committed against Mexico and, instead of the familiar “hiss,” “boos” were heard throughout the stadium – four minutes later, the world famous Mexican Wave, first debuted in Monterrey during the World Cup of 1986, made it’s first appearance in the stands of Kyle Field.

A DJ instead of the Aggie Band

At the half, people jammed along with the DJ to diverse music including a song by Tigres Del Norte – again, never imagined I’d hear their music here.

I was able to catch up with several people – despite the number of people who attended this match, it surprised me to be able to run into people I knew.

I had a chance to talk with Former Student Brazos Pinto who has been a huge soccer follower and managed to catch the baseball/futbol double header. He indicated the ambience at Kyle Field – it has always been unique and yet this Saturday it was taken up a notch. While this was marketed as “Somos Locales” – a home game for Mexico – Pinto pointed out the large number of club kits from all over.

We agreed in that this country has a very passionate fandom albeit very international as that is the make-up of our unique nation - embracing our roots and being able to express enthusiasm and appreciation for the beautiful game.

Closing out strong

At the 55’ Yan Couto passed the ball to Gabriel Teodoro Silva to put Brazil up 2-nil; many thought at this time the legendary Jogo Bonito would take over.

There were a couple of brief dark moments in the match – the stopping of the match because of a disrespectful chant being one of them. During last Summer’s Gold Cup, the stadiums managed to drown out, nay, distract the crowd by playing music during goal kicks – the DJ at Kyle Field immediately did that without any further incidents.

At the 73’ Alexis Vega combined with Julian Quiñones for Mexico’s first ever goal in Kyle Field – there were no cannons to be fired today; instead, a deafening roar and beer showers took over the stands of Kyle Field awakening the Mexican crowd.

After that goal, at the 74’ #7 Vinicius Jose Junior, having just won the EUFA Champions League with Real Madrid, took the field to thunderous cheers from the fans of both nations.

At the 87’ the second unfortunate moment occurred - a delay on the match because of people who invaded the pitch. As a lifelong Aggie, this one struck me hard for I grew up with the idea that the grounds of Kyle Field were sacred given the 55 flags which fly around the stadium in honor of Aggies who lost their lives during World War II.

Three minutes later, with the score 2-1 in Brasil’s favor, it was announced that the match would be extended by eight minutes…

…at the 91’ a resounding “¡Si Se Puede!”took over Kyle Field. One minute later, in the 92’ the Mexican team answered their fans with a “¡Golazo!” from Guillermo Martinez. The roar of the crowd reminded me of when Devon Achane ran back a kickoff for the Aggies against the Crimson Tide.

Earlier in the day, Claire Teague, a Senior Aggie engineer had asked me what my preferred result would be. I told her that, obviously, a win by Mexico; however, I wouldn’t be heartbroken if Brasil walked away with a win.

As I absorbed what seemed to be an evenly fought tie, Vinni Jr’s Jogo Bonito took over and, at the 96’ he passed the ball inside the box and Brasil’s latest 17-year-old phenom, Endrick Felipe Sousa headed the ball into the opposite corner beating Mexico’s Julio Jose Gonzalez for the game winner.

Soon after, Lukasz Szpala blew the final whistle and Brasil would claim the victory over Mexico with a score of 3-2 – ironically, the same score the Aggie Team witnessed in LA when Colombia beat Mexico six months earlier.

See you again soon Futbol World

As I led a media group down to the Press Conference Area it was great to see Alan Cannon’s smile guiding us to meet with the Technical Directors of each team.

As I departed and said “Goodnight” to AC, we both said to each other: “the 31st of August will be here before we know it.”

Departing that secure area, there were still hundreds of fans making their way down the ramps – it was yet another moment of contrast. During Aggie games, you hear the crowd signing the War Hymn or performing Aggie Yells – that night, you could steal hear the fans chanting “¡Mexico! ¡Mexico! ¡Mexico!” – the Mexican 12thMan never gave up.

On the grounds where the War Hymn monument is, I couldn’t help but smile and soak in the joyful atmosphere as fans surrounded over a handful of vendors selling what smelled like delicious Mexican Street Hot Dogs.

I made my way through the Wellborn Underpass and people were still cheering Brasil and Mexico – through my wife’s coaxing, I used my Aggie Ring to sound out the familiar “Hullabaloo Caneck Caneck” notes and, sure enough, a chorus of “Whoops” were heard. I did that three times and, as we walked back to Reed Arena, I couldn’t help but think – Yes, we had an incredibly international night with chants and music foreign to Aggieland, yet, at the end of the night, the crowd still “Whooped” like a normal Saturday night.

As Kyle Field emptied out, McKenna and his team began stripping the extra grass moving it to Coach G Guerrieri’s Ellis Field while at the same time preparing for next Saturday’s event – King George Straight at Kyle Field.

Thank you, Kindra Fry, for your leadership in bringing this amazing night to Aggieland – it is the overall consensus by everyone with whom I interacted that this should be an annual event.

The goal had been to get over 100K fans into Kyle Field – the official count was 85,249, the third largest in MexTour history and the largest held in the state of Texas. More importantly, 32.5 Million viewers in Brasil alone were exposed to the beauty of Texas A&M and the gorgeous Cathedral of Brazos Valley – Kyle Field.

The Jogo Bonito arrives in Aggieland

by Pedro Luna

The calm before the storm

Howdy Futbol World

"Retumba En Su Centro La Tierra"

Futbol in Kyle Field

A DJ instead of the Aggie Band

Closing out strong

See you again soon Futbol World

By the numbers

85,249

Attendees at Kyle Field

32.5 Million

TV Viewers in Brasil