Former Mexico player admits bribing guards to sneak out of training camps

Jonathan Espericueta, a former player for the Mexican national team and a 2011 U-17 World Cup champion, has revealed instances of indiscipline during his time with the team. On his podcast, "Promesas Fallidas" (Failed Promises), Espericueta confessed to bribing security guards to leave the training facilities at the High-Performance Center (CAR) in Mexico City.

Espericueta described how he would arrange to leave after curfew, even on days when players were officially given time off. He admitted to paying guards to facilitate his departures, suggesting that other players may have done the same. He recounted one specific instance where he waited until 10 p.m., when everyone else was asleep, to sneak out after making arrangements with a guard.

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If I did things in the national team, at the CAR, where supposedly no one can escape... and there you saw Espiri leaving and paying the guards.

These revelations shed light on the criticisms often leveled against Mexican footballers regarding their mentality and discipline. Espericueta's stories suggest a culture where such behavior was not uncommon, potentially impacting the development of young talent. Despite his early success, Espericueta's professional career in Liga MX included stints with Tigres, Atlético de San Luis, and Puebla, and he last played professionally in 2021.

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Normally when we went to Mexico they gave us a day off and it ended at 8:00 p.m. I waited until 10, when everyone was asleep, and I had spoken with a guard and I had a little escape, obviously there had to be many more who did the same but I had that nice experience.