MEXICO CITY — A few weeks ago, Javier Aguirre was in Arlington, Texas, swapping football memories with Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys. That's football, not futbol.
It turns out that the coach of Mexico's national soccer team is not only an NFL fan but a Cowboys fan. And not only a Cowboys fan but a Roger Staubach fan.
"I have to confess, I've been a Cowboys fan since birth," Aguirre told Jones. "I have everything when it comes to Roger Staubach. Everything."
Jones had stopped by his new House of Many Splendors -- the $1.15-billion Cowboys Stadium -- to watch Mexico's soccer team train for a Gold Cup quarterfinal game against Haiti. While there, he gave the Mexican coach a Super Bowl ring to try on for size while Aguirre gazed in obvious awe at the new stadium.
"We don't have this type of facility back in Mexico," Aguirre said. "We're not used to it."
And in that innocent comment is a key to today's long-anticipated World Cup-qualifying game between Mexico and the United States at a much older, much more historic stadium -- Mexico City's Estadio Azteca, one of the most intimidating soccer venues in the world.
To borrow Aguirre's phrase, the Americans are "not used to it."
U.S. Coach Bob Bradley said Monday, "This will be my first time to Azteca."
It will also be the first time for most of Bradley's players. Only four of the 20 on the roster -- defenders Steve Cherundolo, Oguchi Onyewu and Carlos Bocanegra and forward Landon Donovan -- have played at Azteca. For the rest, it will be an eye-opening experience.
"It's almost like a rite of passage for a U.S. national team player," starting goalkeeper Tim Howard said Monday.
No American national team has won in Mexico. A scoreless tie in 1997 is the best the U.S. has achieved in 23 games over 72 years. Bradley's predecessor as national coach, Bruce Arena, failed twice.
"You're not playing on a level playing field in that game," Arena said. "On a level playing field at sea level, I would favor the United States.
"The conditions at Azteca are difficult. You have around 100,000 people. The stadium is massive. The sightlines are real difficult for players. There are literally probably 20 yards from the touchline to the dugouts. You see that and the field looks like you're out in the country.
"Then you start dealing with the heat and the altitude and it gets to your head. Not only your head. The physiology is difficult. I remember games where we had oxygen at halftime. It's hard. It's an awesome home-field advantage."
