Sheinbaum Gives Her Ticket to the World Cup Opening Match to Young Indigenous Player
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
MEXICO CITY — President Claudia Sheinbaum handed a ticket for the opening match of the 2026 World Cup to a young indigenous woman from Veracruz on Friday, effectively ruling out her own participation in the grand event. As she had promised months ago, Sheinbaum formally presented ticket number 00001 for the tournament's inaugural match on June 11 in Mexico City to 21-year-old athlete Yolett Cervantes Cuaquehua, who was selected by a jury based on her soccer skills. 'They are the pride of Mexico. They will not represent the president or the head of government; they will represent Mexico,' said the president during the ticket presentation. The presidential conference also featured tickets for matches in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey—Mexico's World Cup venues—given to three other amateur athletes aged 16, 22, and 23, who were also chosen by the jury as part of a government-organized contest. 'Thank you very much for considering us,' said an emotional Cervantes Cuaquehua, expressing her admiration for Sheinbaum as the first woman to become president of Mexico. Dressed in a traditional blouse and long skirt, and barefoot, the young woman from Tlaquilpa, a municipality in the High Mountains of Veracruz, showcased her soccer skills in one of the government palace's conference rooms. Accompanied by her father, Cervantes Cuaquehua told the press that she started playing soccer at a young age with her dad's support and hopes to join a professional team soon after recovering from a ligament injury. Sheinbaum took the opportunity to urge Mexican professional teams to promote the creation of youth academies so that young players like Cervantes Cuaquehua can fulfill their dreams and help develop the sport, which has millions of fans in Mexico.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
