Kenti Robles promotes the Mexico brand in the United States

“Mex Tour W”. With this slogan the women’s team of Mexico launched his first US tour. La Tri already attracts international sponsors such as AT&T, Bud Light and Wells Fargo. He will play friendlies in Chicago and Houston in April. “If they had told me ten years ago that our women’s football would have this growth, I would have thought it light years away,” he said in an interview with EFE. Andrea Rodebaughdirector of the Mexican women’s teams.

Kenti Robles, defense of Real Madrid, He is one of the stars that will promote the Mexican brand in the United States. The Mexican federation and Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the commercial arm of Major League Soccer, sign strategic partnerships to boost the value and recognition of their brands. The ‘Mex W’ will do so on April 8 in Chicago and on the 11th of the same month in Houston, cities with a Latino community of more than one million people.

An important part of the merit in this growth is from Andrea Rodebaugh. She was captain of the Mexican national team from 1994 to 1999 and, after fourteen years of working with FIFA developing value for women’s soccer and undergraduate studies at the University of California at Berkeley and postgraduate studies at the Sorbonne University in Paris and At UNAM, he is now dedicated to structuring his country’s movement with the goal set at the 2027 World Cup.

“It is a great challenge, it is a position that did not exist before. We must create, structure. It is what was needed because women’s football has grown so much and has specific characteristics. We must attend to these needs and we will help guide the team towards better horizons,” Rodebaugh told EFE.

The support of international sponsors and the collaboration with SUM, MLS and the NWSL (the US women’s league) is essential to provide Mexican players with more visibility and better economic conditions. At the same time, the international showcase will help inspire young girls and bring them closer to football.

“The support of the sponsors is extremely important. We still have a lot to grow and the idea of ​​the Mex Tour is to offer a great show, to show how much women’s soccer has grown and for them to see it as an investment opportunity not only in women’s football, but also in the players,” he says.

“The relationship with the SUM continues to strengthen. It is important to strengthen the clubs. There is a lot of exchange of support between the teams and that benefits us a lot in the selection,” he continues.

She is clear that much work remains to be done so that young girls interested in soccer do not experience the difficulties faced by previous generations, such as Rodebaugh’s, when there was still no professional women’s league in Mexico.

In fact, Rodebaugh, one of the best midfielders of her time, she emigrated to compete in the United States, France and Japan.

“My experience from 2000 to here is a world of difference. Even ten years ago if they had told me that Mexico would have a professional women’s league, I would have thought light years away. Now I believe that there are many decisions that are made, which may be “They take time to implement. But women’s soccer is going through a very special moment and that is reflected in Mexico,” says Rodebaugh.

“What has been achieved in five years of the women’s LigaMX shows that a change is being generated. This will continue along the same lines. In my time there were no leagues, international competitions were just beginning. These generate more development,” he adds. .

A great source of talent for the women’s team comes from the United States and for this reason the Mexican Federation has a network of scouts on both sides of the border that monitor the most outstanding profiles.

“It’s important to spot talent at the earliest possible ages in order to develop talent. And we need to build a show to attract more sponsors. It’s a sporting endeavor,” Rodebaugh said.

This cradle of talent is added to elements with more experience, who play in the United States or, as in the case of the defense of Real Madrid Kenti Roblesin Europe.

“The contribution of the players who are playing in the United States and in Europe helps to create a culture. It is important to us that they have opportunities to play abroad,” says Rodebaugh.

The bond between Mexico and the United States is getting closer and closer. Last year, the men’s national team’s Mex Tour took the Tri to Orlando, Dallas, Glendale, Chicago and Atlanta.

This year, Glendale will receive El Tri on April 19 in the new Continental Clásico, a friendly that will measure the United States each year with a team from North, Central or South America

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