Mexico's 2026 World Cup run fostered fan unity, says defender Israel Reyes

Mexico's national soccer team has forged a strong bond with its fans, a connection defender Israel Reyes believes will be crucial for future success. After the team's 2026 World Cup campaign, Reyes noted a significant reconciliation with supporters, stating, "We made a union with the people, a family, and I think this World Cup was something unique for us experiencing it from the inside. The people felt it, the whole country, and in the end, this is a seed that I trust will help us a lot for the future."

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We made a union with the people, a family, and I think this World Cup was something unique for us experiencing it from the inside. The people felt it, the whole country, and in the end, this is a seed that I trust will help us a lot for the future.

Reyes, who plays for Club América, reflected on the team's past struggles, recalling a time when "a few years ago, people spoke very differently about the National Team. We went through very dark moments being here or in the United States, where we didn't connect with our people, with ourselves as teammates, and I think that is behind us now." He emphasized the team's desire to grow, even after the pain of their defeat to England in the Mexico City stadium.

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A few years ago, people spoke very differently about the National Team. We went through very dark moments being here or in the United States, where we didn't connect with our people, with ourselves as teammates, and I think that is behind us now.

"We are very eager to grow. We have to live this, whatever hurts, but we have to grow, move forward, and we are confident that we will do a great job in everything that comes," Reyes said. He acknowledged that reaching the Round of 16 was not the primary objective for the team, managed by Javier Aguirre, but felt they performed well at various points during the tournament.

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We are very eager to grow. We have to live this, whatever hurts, but we have to grow, move forward, and we are confident that we will do a great job in everything that comes.

"We showed things that hadn't been done lately, we showed very great flashes, not only in this game but throughout the tournament, I think we were up to par in many moments of how we wanted to represent our National Team, of what we wanted to lay out on the path," Reyes concluded. The sentiment suggests a positive outlook despite the elimination, focusing on the team's progress and fan connection.

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We showed things that hadn't been done lately, we showed very great flashes, not only in this game but throughout the tournament, I think we were up to par in many moments of how we wanted to represent our National Team, of what we wanted to lay out on the path.