MEXICO CITY (AP) 鈥� He’s everywhere: around the stadiums, in the streets, having a beer at bars. The anonymous masked wrestler has become one of the defining images of the in Mexico, often found in throngs of fellow lucha libre aficionados.
have succumbed to the magic of the sport, which, alongside soccer, is a national passion. Inside the fortress of wrestling, they forget about soccer fever for a few hours to experience a unique night. As in Guadalajara, tens of thousands of fans tuned in to another spectacular showdown: M铆stico and M谩scara Dorada against The Beast Mortos and Sammy Guevara at the iconic Arena M茅xico, also known as the cathedral of lucha libre.
鈥淚t was simply fantastic, we enjoyed it immensely,鈥� said Andy Winston, a Manchester native who has traveled with his family to all three World Cup host countries 鈥� Canada, the United States and, now, Mexico 鈥� while supporting England. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 come to Mexico and not come to watch lucha libre. It鈥檚 a great tradition, a classic.鈥�
In the stands, fans cheered and supported their favorites, sporting jerseys from various national teams: England, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Colombia, Spain and, of course, Mexico. 鈥淚t was a wonderful night, much better than I imagined,鈥� said Henrique Nunes dos Santos, from Brazil. 鈥淵ou connect with the spectacle in a way that makes it all seem real. 鈥� There鈥檚 a gigantic energy.鈥�
Wrestling, with Mexican DNA
The origins of Mexican lucha libre date back to the beginning of the 20th century. Its style fuses techniques from American wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling with aerial acrobatics and performance elements. Soon, this unique combination forged its own identity and become part of the country鈥檚 DNA. It was declared part of Mexico City鈥檚 cultural heritage in 2018.
鈥淟ucha libre is in our roots. For almost 93 years, it has been part of us Mexicans and has also become a calling card for Mexicans,鈥� explained Julio C茅sar Rivera, spokesperson for the World Wrestling Council.
The matches are based on the eternal struggle between good 鈥� also known as the t茅cnicos 鈥� and evil, which in the ring takes the form of the 鈥渞udos鈥� (bad guys). In the ring, they blend sport, theater and tradition, most notably through the use of the .
The masks are often vibrant and colorful but sometimes intimidating, depicting superheroes, animals or other symbolic figures. More than simply concealing the wrestler鈥檚 face, they embody the alter ego, cultural heritage, and mystical power within the ring. As a result, each mask is meticulously designed to convey a distinctive visual language rich in personal and cultural significance.
Protected by the masks, the gladiators assume a secret identity and become national symbols. Thus, they rarely reveal their real names, to preserve the mystery.
鈥淟ucha libre is my life,鈥� said the 30-year-old wrestler known as Star Black. As a child, he helped his grandparents sell masks in a small local business. 鈥淚 started to fall in love with the masks, the capes, the aerial maneuvers, the moves of lucha libre, and one day I decided to train.鈥� Then he became an idol himself.
Soccer fans succumb to the magic of the ring
While lucha libre is already a among tourists visiting Mexico, the arrival of the world鈥檚 biggest soccer event has seen masks and impromptu fights spill out from the ring.
Amid skyrocketing prices elsewhere, Mexico has become a popular hub for tourists to stay before traveling to watch their team playing in other host countries, according to Jos茅 脕ngel Garfias Fr铆as, an expert in lucha libre at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
鈥淟ucha libre was already popular, but now with the World Cup, the arenas are much more crowded, and we see many tourists there wearing their jerseys and shirts of their respective national teams,鈥� Garfias said.
Around Mexico’s stadiums, the number of masks rival flags, with vendors proudly displaying both. Although masks are prohibited inside the stadiums, under FIFA鈥檚 security protocol, some fans were spotted wearing them nonetheless. FIFA referred a request for comment back to the code of conduct, and didn鈥檛 reply to a follow-up question about enforcement.
The two national sports have shared a close relationship for decades, Garfias said. One of the best-known examples is Argentine soccer player Gabriel Pereyra, who was known for wearing M铆stico鈥檚 mask after scoring for the Mexican club Cruz Azul. In the ring, figures like Am茅rica Salvaje also stand out. The iconic 1970s wrestler, inspired by Club Am茅rica, wore a mask featuring the team鈥檚 colors.
鈥淟ucha libre is Mexico. It鈥檚 part of our identity. And it鈥檚 as popular as soccer,鈥� said Claudio D铆az, one of the many masked men who took to the streets of the capital to celebrate Mexico鈥檚 second victory and advancement to the knockout round.
And, despite soccer remaining the country鈥檚 absolute passion, for many, lucha libre is a truer reflection with fervent fans of all types paying regular Friday night visits.
鈥淚 feel that soccer doesn鈥檛 represent us Mexicans as much; lucha libre represents us way more,鈥� said wrestler Drag贸n Legendario. 鈥淧eople from all walks of life come here: from grandmothers to businessmen to the women who run small restaurants 鈥� it has all kinds of fans.鈥�
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