Next July 10, 2024 will mark the twentieth anniversary of one of the most memorable moments in the history of Mexican soccer: Ramón Morales’ goal that secured victory over the Argentine National Team in the 2004 Copa América Peru. This goal not only meant Mexico’s first victory over Argentina in an official game, but also consolidated the Mexican team as leader of Group B in that competition.
In a revealing interview with the “Sin Llorar” podcast, Claudio Suárez, former captain of Tricoloral, He shared details of the atmosphere in the locker room during that historic match. “Ramón Morales scores a goal in the first half. Then the first half ends, I go to the bathroom and Jorge Campos asks me: ‘Don’t suck, the Argentines are going to put 10 on us, they’re really pissed off’”Suárez recalled, reflecting the intensity of the confrontation.
For its part, Ramón Morales, author of the decisive goal, rHe recognized the difficulty of facing the formidable Argentine team. “I remember that they were throwing stones at our ranch (the area) and then they fouled Cabrito Arellano and the referee called a free kick. At that, Rafa Márquez asked me: ‘Are you going to shoot him?’ to which I said yes. I was doing air and the ball, thank God, embedded itself in the goal,” Morales said about the crucial moment of the match.
The triumph over Argentina allowed Mexico to advance as leader of Group B with 7 points, after also beating Ecuador and tying with Uruguay. However, the dream of Copa América Peru 2004 came to an end in the Quarterfinals against Brazil, where they were defeated with a resounding 4-0, with goals from Alex, Ricardo Oliveira and a double from Adriano.
Ramón Morales’ goal continues to be remembered as a significant milestone in the history of Mexican soccer, highlighting the perseverance and quality of the team in a tournament as competitive as the Copa América.
