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MEXICO CITY — A historic night of soccer celebrations turned fatal in the Mexican capital when three people died of asphyxiation amid massive crowd crushes following the national team’s momentous World Cup victory.
The tragedy unfolded late Tuesday night after Mexico secured a 2-0 win over Ecuador at the Azteca Stadium, booking the tournament co-hosts a spot in the Round of 16. The victory marked Mexico’s first World Cup knockout-stage win in 40 years, triggering an outpouring of nearly a million ecstatic fans onto the streets.
According to Mexico City’s Health Secretariat, the victims—a 19-year-old woman, a 44-year-old man, and a 48-year-old woman—suffered severe suffocation in separate locations around the iconic Angel of Independence monument on the Paseo de la Reforma.
Emergency responders and paramedics found the individuals unconscious as massive, densely packed crowds gridlocked the city’s central boulevard. Despite advanced resuscitation efforts and CPR at the scene, all three were pronounced dead after being rushed to nearby hospitals. Local reports indicated that a series of celebratory fireworks may have triggered a localized panic, causing people to stumble and fall in the congested side streets.
The tragedy sharply contrasted with the overwhelming euphoria across the capital, where makeshift bands played on street corners and fans cheered late into the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada extended her deep condolences to the families of the victims on social media, noting that emergency crews responded as quickly as possible given the extreme gridlock. Brugada had actively urged citizens on Tuesday night to stop heading to the city center due to dangerous overcrowding, instead pointing them toward alternative concert venues in the eastern part of the city.
“My most sincere condolences to the families,” Brugada shared, later adding an appeal to the public to “always celebrate with responsibility, care, and empathy.”
With a metropolitan population exceeding 20 million, Mexico City is well-accustomed to handling massive public gatherings. However, the sheer scale of the historic soccer victory pushed central avenues past their limits.
On the pitch, El Tri put on a historic performance, with goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez extending their unbeaten tournament run. While the country celebrates a monumental sports milestone, the families of three passionate supporters are left mourning a devastating loss.
