Brazil vs. Mexico Olympic Gold-Medal Match: How Mexico Celebrates the Victory

Media dubbed this team El Tri Olímpico (the Olympic Tri). But for the fans, this squad is simply El Tri: their team, their players, their gold medal. When Mexico plays the country is paralyzed, football is all that matters.

Think of this nation as one that has a lot of political and social problems, now picture a bunch of youngsters playing for the first-ever gold medal in a team event. Add the fact that it's not just any sport and you'll have a bomb.

When Oribe Peralta was called to the team many doubt about his chances. He came from an injury, which he suffered at the final game of the local league and he wasn't playing at his best.

Fernando Tena also capped José de Jesús Corona, another overage player. The decision caused controversy since Guillermo Ochoa, the Ajaccio keeper, seemed to be a better fit.

Of course, Javier Chicharito Hernandez' absence was rough, but since it was Sir Alex Ferguson's call, people coped with it.

Many thought this squad couldn't make history because despite the victories at the Pan American Games, the CONCACAF Pre-Olympic and the Toulon Tournament, they had a bad preparation for the Olympics. They defeated Great Britain (1-0), but lost to Spain (1-0) and Japan (2-1).

Once in London, the skepticism started to vanish after the group stage because they made it to the quarterfinals, then the semis and finally the gold medal match.

Brazil's attacking force—Neymar, Damiao and Hulk—was the only thing that stood between El Tri and the top of the podium.

Fans gathered in restaurants, public plazas and friends' homes to watch the game. It didn't matter that it took place on a Saturday at 9:00 a.m. (CT), a lot of cars—with flags included—flooded the Periférico and Paseo de la Reforma, two of the country's principal roads.

Oribe Peralta made it worthwhile. Just 29 seconds from the starting whistle, the Santos striker opened the score. It was quick, so quick that he set the record for the fastest goal in a final game of the World Cup or the Olympics.

Goooooooooooooooaaaaaal, the fans shouted. They screamed like they hadn't done in years, with goose bumps and the pride that meant wearing La Verde in that moment.

Peralta backed Tena's decision and showed the country why he was playing from the start. He did it again; at the 79th minute he jumped, took advantage of Brazil's weak defense and sent the ball to the back of the net with a superb header.

Laughs, hugs, and high-fives. Fans were one: the 12th player. There wasn't a public plaza that wasn't packed, ready to see how history was made.

The referee blew the whistle and that was it. As it happened in 2005, when the under-17 squad grabbed the World Cup and in 2011 when they repeated the feat, it was not the senior team that sent thousands of fans to El Ángel de la Independencia (The Angel of Independence) it was a bunch of kids.

After listening to the National Anthem, you could hear people singing Cielito Lindo, one of the most typical songs in the country.

Chants were also in order: ¿En dónde están, en dónde están? Los brasileños que nos íban a ganar? (Where are they, where are they? The Brazilians that were going to defeat us).

President Calderón tweeted: "Gold for Mexico in football! Historic achievement for our country. We are happy and proud of our team!"

Media, actors, actresses, athletes and politicians joined Calderón and also shared their thoughts through the micro blog.

It was obvious that another tradition was in hand: celebrating at El Ángel de la Independencia. You see, this monument is what the Eiffel Tower is to France or the Statue of Liberty is to the United States.

Every time Mexico has a good match or reaches the next stage of a tournament, fans gather there. The ambiance was amazing. Everyone sang, clapped and ran with Mexican flags.

A true party went on at one of the country's most emblematic spots. All the emotions that surrounded the place were the result of what a group of players did. They believe they could do it and they just went out and stunned Brazil.

The Verde-Amarela has never defeated a Mexican team in a final match: Confederations Cup (1999), Gold Cup (1996 and 2003), U-17 FIFA World Cup (2005) and Olympic Games (2012).

Just knowing that fact makes millions of followers happy, but furthermore it shows us that the next generation of Mexican footballers has a different mentality.

These kids have gone from the "almost" to the "we are the champions" and they are getting used to it.