Liga MX team Santos Laguna became the first team since the 1940’s to play in Cuba. Watch the short feature documentary.
One of the memorable moments for Santos in 2015 was the first team’s to visit Cuba to compete in its second-annual Copa Aeromexico against Cuba’s National Team.
Although los Guerreros of Torreón, Mexico didn’t have the most brag-worthy of seasons last tournament, it was, all-in-all, a successful year for the now five-time champions, who were crowned in the 2015 Clausura and also saw their U17 and U20 teams win titles in the Apertura.
In November, Santos visited Havana, Cuba, for a game against Cuba’s National Team. (You might recall the New York Cosmos did the same earlier this year.)
Club Santos president Alejandro Irarragorri has a father who is part Cuban, and given the club’s business savvy, Irarragorri made the most of the experience hoping to kickstart a movement in furthering sporting relations with Mexico and Cuba.
Here’s more from the club’s official release:
“The match, sponsored by Santos’ long-time and valued sponsor Aeromexico, was played in Estadio Pedro Marrero and was broadcast on ESPN in Central America, the Caribbean, and the United States on November 14.
The experience also opened doors for both Cuba’s National Team staff and players to travel to Torreon to exchange best practices with medical and coaching staff from Santos over preseason.
The Club documented the experience with a video featuring interviews with Ambassador Juan Jose Bremer, and Mexican and Cuban Federation Presidents Decio De Maria and Luis Hernandez, among others.
Club Santos thanks the following for their interviews and participation:
Aeromexico
ESPN
Javier Arrigunaga, President of Administration, AeroMexico
Decio De Maria, President, Mexican Football Federation
Jose Luis Lopez, Cuban Journalist, “Juventud Rebeide.”
Luis Hernandez, Cuban Football Federation
Michael Fitzgerald, New York-based Corporate Attorney at Paul Hastings LLP
Eduardo Musalem, Businessman
Luis Miguel Romero, President of Genergética
Juan Jose Bremer, Mexican Ambassador to Cuba
Rafael Robles, Founding Partner of Robles Miaja Attorneys
Dr. Carlos M. Gomez, Sports Medicine Doctor
Ariel Lopez, Traveling Santos fan
Alejandro Irarragorri, President of Orlegi Deportes and Club Santos Laguna.”
MLS
