The Canonization of Graham Zusi
The Canonization of Graham Zusi
Sibling Rivalry Excerpt: From Chapter 3:
That morning of the October 2024 friendly down in Guadalajara, still full of optimzism for US fortunes, my posse of New Englanders headed out for another outdoor brunch on a tropical terrace. Our stomachs well lined, we walked to the edge of the Americana district, down the Avenida Niños Héroes, then north a few blocks on Chapultepec to the York Pub.
That’s where we met up with a dozen or so American Outlaws gathered for their pregame. Craig Hahn and Matthew Eison were seated at the next table (their US soccer garb gave them away). Across the narrow bar, a quartet of Mexican fans sat quietly with their beers, drinking in the oddly red-white-and-blue atmosphere.
Eison’s T-shirt was particularly eye-catching and appropriate. It depicted former USMNT defender Graham Zusi in Pauline fashion—as in St. Paul, the apostle. His decision to honor “San Zusi” was not made by accident, as it recalled one of the warmest and fuzziest moments in the history of US-Mexico futbol relations. Perhaps Eison was looking to make a good impression on those El Tri fans across the bar, then inside Estadio Akron later that night.
It’s a good story, the how-and-why San Suzi got canonized. October 15, 2013: the final matchday of World Cup qualification. The United States was playing in Panama City with its place at Brazil 2014 already secured. Not the case for the hosts, who needed a draw to keep their World Cup dreams alive—and to dash those of mighty Mexico.
Panama has since grown into one of CONCACAF’s strongest sides, but Los Canaleros remained mere up-and- comers in 2013. A result against the Americans would have meant a World Cup debut and the country’s full-on coming-out party. In the dying moments, they clung to a 1–1 scoreline, just enough to see them through—and to crush the World Cup hopes of El Tri.
Always remember: While Mexicans may resent the United States for its political, cultural, and economic browbeating, Central American states like Costa Rica resent Mexico just as much for some of the exact same reasons.
With al this hanging in the balance, Zusi scored late in the Panama match to rescue all three points for the United States and send the 20,000 fans inside Estadio Rommel Fernández home heartbroken.
His goal also delivered El Tri to an intercontinental playoff with New Zealand and ultimately to the World Cup finals in Brazil. That’s why Eison’s T-shirt read, “San Zusi,” or St. Zusi. The instant sainthood was bestowed by Mexican broadcasters in appreciation of his miraculous 92nd minute strike in Panama City.
I had read about this righteous-if-temporary outpouring of affection, which included thousands of fawning tweets, a formal installment ceremony conducted by a Kansas City Spanish-language radio station, and at least one bottle of Patron from a Mexican media member, who told MLSsoccer.com, “I promised this to my father. This is on behalf of the 365k Mexicans … On behalf of my family, and other people’s families, a present from us for saving our asses in the World Cup.”
I’d heard about the T-shirts, but I’d never seen one.
“Certainly, it was a big deal at the time, but I’m not sure it’s been remembered in Mexico,” Eison says, my eyes fixated on the winged, beatific Zusi spread across his chest. “I would be surprised if any Mexico fans remember his name for what happened.”
