Between the orgy accusations and the drug-trafficking charges facing their veteran star, Mexico have had their share of distractions heading into their World Cup opener against Germany on Sunday.
The headaches started last year when the US Treasury Department accused El Tri's longtime captain, Rafael Marquez, of being a "front person" for an international drug-trafficking organization.
And they got worse on June 5, when gossip magazine TVNotas reported that nine members of Mexico's World Cup squad had an all-night party with a group of 30 prostitutes after their farewell home match that weekend.
The Mexican Football Federation decided against punishing the players, because "they have not missed training" and "a free day is a free day," in the words of general secretary Guillermo Cantu.
But the public condemnation and online mockery have been blistering.
"The federation doesn't have to punish the party-boy players. The public and private ridicule will be more than enough," sports journalist David Faitelson of ESPN wrote on Twitter.
As the scandal swirled, midfielder Hector Herrera asked for a leave of absence from training in Denmark to travel to Portugal, where he is based, and tend to "personal matters," according to media reports.
Trying to calm the storm, star striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez posted a video online that he said proved the team "didn't do anything bad" -- though he admitted, "I don't think we'd do it again." - 'Locker-room anthropology' - ==============================
"I hope when the team starts delivering results that all those people who criticized them aren't going to try to jump on the bandwagon." - Nothing new - ===============
"But these things unite the team."
- Tarnished leader -
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