The Mexican national team fans packed the Rose Bowl Thursday night as the team beat Jamaica 2-0 to advance to the quarter-finals of the Copa América Centenario tournament.
It's the first time in the 100-year history that the US has hosted the soccer event, which brings together the top teams in the Americas and is showcasing some of the top soccer stars from around the world.
"What brings me out here is the passion for El Tri," said Daniel Muñoz, 42, using the nickname for the Mexican national team. Muñoz, a resident of Inglewood, stood next to a boisterous crowd and live band organized by the Mexican team's support group, Pancho Villa's Army.
"The U.S. is a second home for Mexico and we have to make sure [the players] feel like this is their second home," said Muñoz.
Thirteen-year-old Mikey Moreno took a break from playing soccer outside the stadium with his sister, Andrea, 10, to explain why he was there to support Mexico.
"It's very fun because [the players] know a lot of techniques and there's different variations of players and different forms of making a goal, which is really cool," said Moreno, who made the trip from El Segundo to the Rose Bowl with his family.
Though the green jerseys for Mexico vastly outnumbered Jamaica's supporters, Jae Humble, 33, of Los Angeles sported a bright gold shirt from his native Jamaica and referred to his rival fans as "mi família" as he waited to enter the stadium.
Mexico now wait to see who their next opponent beyond pool play will be, which could be powerhouse Argentina or defending champions Chile. The U.S. faces Paraguay this Saturday in a high-stakes game that could determine whether the host-team heads to the next round or is eliminated.
This post has been updated.