The Chivas USA fanbase is one of the most interesting in MLS, as the team's name and location inherently lends itself to divide in national team support among the team's supporters. The team takes its name from the most popular team in Mexico and is obviously marketed towards Mexican-American soccer fans, but there are plenty of American supporters of all nationalities who support the team.
USA Vs. Mexico, 2011 Gold Cup Final: Chivas USA Fans On Both Sides Of The Divide - The Goat Parade
There are lots of Chivas USA supporters who are fans of either the United States or Mexico, but believe it or not, there are also lots of people that support both teams. Does it sound like sports blasphemy? Well, imagine picking between the country of your heritage and the country in which your family lives and works, and as a result, loves as much as your home country. Alicia from SB Nation's Chivas USA blog The Goat Parade explains:
Ok, so a lot of fans bristle at the prospect of supporting more than one country, but sometimes, that is life. For some, having both Mexican and American identities means it is too hard to choose just one country. For others, living in the melting pot of Los Angeles means that competing allegiances are irresistible. No Chivas players are on the American or Mexican Gold Cup squads, either, so fans do not have an obligation to support one country over another on behalf of their club.
Lots of team fanbases have an interesting dynamic when it comes to a divide in national team support among the fans, but Chivas USA probably takes the cake in this regard. There are probably a great deal of fans who own both a Mexico and a United States jersey.
For more on how the two teams got to this point, check out our USA vs. Panama stream and our Mexico vs. Honduras stream. For more updates leading up to USA vs. Mexico, bookmark this StoryStream. For all of our previous Gold Cup coverage, check out the Gold Cup 2011 section. For more on Mexican football, including the Mexican national team, the Mexico vs. USA game, and the Mexican Primera, check out SB Nation’s Mexican football blog FMF State Of Mind.
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