The Art of the Ball
Exploring the passion, creativity, and culture behind the world's most popular sport
Mexican team celebrations by Pedro ValtierraMuseo del Estanquillo
National Identity
Soccer has been part of Mexican daily life since those legendary English miners brought one of their most beloved traditions to the state of Hidalgo.
"Soccer is a science, it is the empirical verification of the correct ways to handle the ball, which
signify the triumph of one nation over others." Carlos Monsiváis
Mexican team celebrations by Pedro ValtierraMuseo del Estanquillo
The soul of the Mexican fan
A stage of triumphs and defeats, but above all of chants, community, and camaraderie, soccer stadiums represent a space where Mexicans show their most authentic self: the one that only comes out when passion demands it.
Instant poetry
"In the Azteca Stadium, a goal by the national team is the opportunity to confront the flags with the wind, to wave the spirits as if they were flags, to shake the comparisons making the occasion fodder for instant poetry." Carlos Monsiváis
Mexican team celebrations by Pedro ValtierraMuseo del Estanquillo
The heart of Mexico
As it is such an intrinsic part of what makes a Mexican, naturally there are many artistic and graphic representations of the most beautiful sport in the world.
No Title by Ernesto García CabralMuseo del Estanquillo
Revista de Revistas (Magazine of Magazines)
El Semanario Nacional (National Weekly), also known as the Revista de Revistas (Magazine of Magazines), accumulated over the years thousands of extraordinary covers that showed much of life in Mexico, but also national soccer.
As Monsiváis would say:
How many genetic codes have already inscribed the equation of soccer and patriotic feeling?... The rattles as bells of freedom, the clapping as the language of generations, and historical consciousness... are the dimensions that make up a fan.
Football by Ernesto García CabralMuseo del Estanquillo
Colors and legends
With plenty of color, celebrating the kaleidoscope of textures and pigments found in the stands of the concrete colossi, the Semanario's covers highlighted the fiercest moments of the matches.
No Title by Ernesto García CabralMuseo del Estanquillo
Iconic moments
From ball catches to bicycle kicks in women's soccer, the magazine captured the essential magic of the sport and encapsulated it so that future generations could witness the prevalence of soccer in Mexico.
Timeless weekly
Soccer, art, and emotion are intrinsic parts that define a Mexican, and few things captured that feeling like the spectacular covers of the Semanario Nacional and the words of the legendary Carlos Monsiváis. Art and words for the past and future
Mexican team celebrations by Pedro ValtierraMuseo del Estanquillo
Words of a writer
"He looks around at the kids wrapped in flags, which is already a ritual, and observes the green, white, and red on faces and arms and torsos, and admires the variety of faces like
masks..."
"...and remembers the girl on the roof of a truck with the improvised brassiere she took from a flag, and contemplates two teenagers with their tricolor loincloth, and surrenders to the evidence: this nationalism may be for a fixed term, but it is groundbreaking." Carlos Monsiváis
Mexican team celebrations by Pedro ValtierraMuseo del Estanquillo
The Art of the Ball
The art of soccer, both on and off the field, was captured in the words and countless magazines of the Semanario, testifying to the passion for Mexico's national pastime and showcasing one of the pillars of our nationalism and culture.
Football by Ernesto García CabralMuseo del Estanquillo
The Art of the Ball
A glimpse at
Mexico's favorite pastime from the covers of the
Semanario Nacional and through the eyes of a perceptive writer.
This story was made with support and collaboration of Museo del Estanquillo.
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