The friendly match between Portugal and Mexico did not take place due to the death of a fan at the Banorte Stadium before the start of the game. Authorities in Mexico City stated that the man “wanted to go to the bathroom,” but was unable to access it quickly and looked for another place. The subject decided to “jump from one ramp to another,” but failed and fell. He later died in the accident that occurred before the Mexico vs. Portugal match. What do we know about the death of the fan at the Banorte Stadium? Moments after a man was reported to have fallen at the Banorte Stadium, authorities arrived to cordon off the area and cover the body after the death was confirmed. According to Pablo Vázquez, head of Citizen Security of CDMX, during a press conference, the first testimonies gathered at the place from both witnesses and companions indicate that he “wanted to go to one of the bathrooms in the box area, but for various reasons could not enter immediately, among other things there is a very long line.” While waiting in line, he tried to jump from one ramp to another, while people were passing through these areas, but he could not do it because he failed to “get a grip on the other side.” “It's as if you were going from one level to another instead of going around (...) When he jumped, he could not hold onto the upper ramp, fell into a void that exists between the two structures and that has always been there at the Banorte Stadium.” Vázquez shared that the man suffered a contusion and a severe head injury, which is the possible cause of death, according to the first investigations by the prosecutor's office, but some analyses and expert opinions are still needed to “conclude the case, verify the veracity of the testimonies and other details,” he concluded. These statements add to the information previously shared, which indicated that the man was intoxicated. It was also mentioned that the fall occurred from the second floor of the stadium, a venue for the 2026 World Cup matches. According to unofficial information, the subject was identified as Adrián Gómez, between 26 and 27 years old, but his identity was not confirmed by the CDMX authorities. What happened in the Mexico vs. Portugal match? The confrontation between the Mexican team of Javier Aguirre and the Portugal team took place as a preparation match for the 2026 World Cup. From the first minutes, the Portuguese showed an offensive proposal and possession of the ball, with high pressure on the rival. Dangerous approaches did not take long to appear and Mexico was saved after a shot that hit the post of the 'Tala' Rangel's goal. The match closed as time passed. While Mexico, with difficulty, bet on collective play and mobility in the attack, Portugal took advantage of the speed on the wings and precision in the final meters. In the final stretch, Armando 'Hormiga' González had the clearest chance of goal after a pass from Julián Quiñones, but the forward wasted it and sent the ball to the side of the goal. At the end of the match, the boos from the crowd were present.
