Davino: These games stay with you - FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP
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Necaxa, America, Pachuca, Atlante, Monterrey and Cruz Azul have all fought and failed to reach the deciding match of club football’s bid to crown the champion of champions. Having first attempted to go all the way in 2006, CONCACAF Champions League holders America, who today celebrate their 99th anniversary, will have another go at making the final this year.
To assess their prospects of achieving that goal and the reasons why Mexican clubs have consistently fallen short on the global stage, FIFA.com spoke to Duilio Davino, the man who skippered Las Águilas at that tournament nine years ago.
“Most times we’ve come up against European teams in the semi-finals, but there’s a gulf between us in terms of budgets and that’s reflected on the pitch,” said the 39-year-old former central defender. “America are always competitive in the Mexican league, but it’s not the same when you come up against Spanish and English sides.”
Now a media sports analyst, Davino offered some other reasons as to why Mexican sides have come up against a glass ceiling at the Club World Cup: “We need to change our mindsets too. You sometimes get the impression that South American players are more competitive and perhaps even more determined to win. We haven’t quite been able to take that little step forward. We have a lot of quality on the pitch, but we need to work on the psychology a little bit too.”
A veteran of more than 300 games in a ten-year stay with the Mexico City giants between 1997 and 2007, Davino still has very fresh memories of the Club World Cup he appeared at in Japan in 2006. “They’re unique matches and opportunities like that don’t come around very often,” he said with a hint of longing in his voice. “You have to take risks if you want to achieve big things. Now that I’ve retired I realise that they’re the games you miss the most.”
Ghosts of the past
Things did not go according to plan for Las Águilas on that occasion. After beating Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, the Mexicans went down to Barcelona, who eventually lost out to Internacional of Brazil in the final.
“We went there full of hope and we had a great team, even if we weren’t quite at our physical peak,” recalled Davino, who also formed part of the Mexico squad at France 1998. “We scored late on to win the quarter-final 1-0 and then Barcelona got hold of us and gave us a hard time. That 4-0 defeat left us feeling very flat for the match for third place, which we ended up losing (2-1 to Al Ahly of Egypt). But we grew as a result of the experience. That competition exposed us to teams of a higher level and we came back all the better for it.”
If America win through to a semi-final against Barça in Japan this December and Davino were invited to step inside the America dressing room before the game, he has a very good idea of the message he would give to the players: “For any of you feeling nervous right now, just remember that these are the matches that stay etched in your heart.”
He added: “I’ve got no doubt that if America were up against River Plate, they’d beat them. Even at a neutral ground like that, America would be on a very similar level. Against Barcelona, though, it’s going to be very tough.”
If Los Azulcrema are to set up that mouthwatering match-up with the European champions, however, they first of all need to overcome Asian opponents who have yet to be decided. Offering a warning to his former club, Davino said: “They’re teams who run a lot, and they’re very much used to the climate and the atmosphere. They’re very competitive, and though they don’t have the same quality as Mexican sides, they make up for that with their physical strengths. If you don’t get in behind them quickly, they can be hard to break down.”
Despite all the obstacles, though, the ex-Monterrey, Dallas and Tecos player is hopeful America can make an impact in Japan: “There are a lot of things that can happen in football that can help you win a game. America have got a very good team and very good players. Celta gave Barcelona a hard time a little while back and I don’t see why America can’t do the same.”