MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican president claudia sheinbaum She made good on her promise by giving away the tickets on Friday. world cup Opening match.
Sheinbaum, the first female president in the country’s 200-year history, donated ticket number 00001 to Yolet Cervantes Cuacquewa, a 21-year-old indigenous woman from the eastern state of Veracruz.
Mexico The opening game will be against South Africa on June 11th at Azteca Stadium.
Cervantes Cuacqua was chosen by the judges after winning a contest for ball handling skills.
“They are the pride of Mexico. They don’t represent the president or the heads of government, they represent Mexico,” Sheinbaum said at a press conference handing over the ticket to Cervantes Cuacqua.
Mr. Sheinbaum also gave away tickets to other matches at Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, the World Cup sites in Mexico, to three other amateur players, ages 16, 22 and 23. They too were selected by a jury as part of a government-sponsored competition.
“Thank you so much for considering us,” Cervantes Cuacuaquehua said.
In March, Sheinbaum refused to play in the opening game, saying she wanted to make a name for young Mexican women’s soccer players.
“I think young women who play soccer are great representatives of our country. Very few will be able to attend the opening ceremony,” Sheinbaum said at the time. She added that she would watch the match in the Zocalo, the capital’s main square where Fan Fest is held.
The president’s announcement prompted mixed reactions in Mexico. While some considered this a laudable decision, others criticized it, claiming it was a missed opportunity to promote the country.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
