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Mexico caught up in victorious jumble of joy
Thousands of Mexicans wept, cheered and chanted Saturday in their capital city where a planned gay pride event was swept over by megafans enraptured by their national football team's World Cup win.
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Fans of Mexico celebrate at Angel de la Independencia monument in Mexico City after Mexico beat South Korea 2-1 in their World Cup group match, on June 23, 2018. (AFP/Ulises Ruiz )
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housands of Mexicans wept, cheered and chanted Saturday in their capital city where a planned gay pride event was swept over by megafans enraptured by their national football team's World Cup win.
And while the atmosphere of Mexican football at times has been historically homophobic, on Saturday there was so much joy in one place, it was downright harmonious.
Mexico placed one foot in the World Cup's last 16 and left South Korea on the brink of elimination after goals from Javier Hernandez and Carlos Vela clinched a 2-1 victory in Rostov.
That send thousands of thousands of ecstatic fans teeming into their usual celebration spot, Mexico City's Independence Square.
But on Saturday, it was already cheek by jowl with thousands celebrating Mexico's gay pride march. No matter, the Mexico fans and LGBT marchers all had plenty to celebrate.
"This is awesome. We all are giving each other room to celebrate two ways: the march as well as Mexico's win. We are all equal, we are Mexican and we need to love each other just the way we are," said Cinthya Garcia, 26, a saleswoman.
Crammed in with four family members in their team jerseys, they chanted "Me-xi-co!" "Me-xi-co!", as vuvuzelas wailed.
"We are so, so happy. Look at the whooping they gave" South Korea she said with a smile.
