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The World Cup is supposed to be football’s greatest celebration. For millions watching around the world, the opening day is all about packed stadiums, colourful fans and the start of a month-long festival of sport.
My first 24 hours in Mexico painted a very different picture.
Before a ball had even been kicked, I had been robbed, stranded on an official FIFA media bus that couldn’t reach the stadium and caught up in violent clashes outside the tournament opener.
It started the night before the match.
I was changing hotels – a walk of no more than four minutes. The streets were busy and, spotting a few people who looked suspicious, I decided to move my phone, bank cards and valuables into my rucksack. It felt like the sensible thing to do.
Moments later, they were gone. I had been robbed in broad daylight and no one did a thing.
Our intrepid reporter Charlotte Daly was robbed on her first day in Mexico City, but still produced a brilliant package of content for Daily Mail Sport’s readers and viewers
Police and protestors clashed on the streets of the Mexican capital not far from the stadium
Around 100,000 police were deployed to control the crowds amid multiple protests
On the eve of the biggest sporting event on the planet, I found myself cancelling cards, making police reports and trying to work out how to get through the opening week of the tournament without a phone.
After a frantic morning spent replacing devices and regaining access to accounts, I thought the worst was behind me.
It wasn’t.
Getting to the stadium became an ordeal of its own.
Journalists had been told FIFA shuttle buses would transport media from hotels to the venue. But when reporters began asking for details, nobody seemed to know where the buses were, when they would arrive or even where they would depart from.
Eventually, around 100 journalists formed a queue after hearing a bus was on its way. When transport finally arrived, the problems continued.
Despite travelling on an official FIFA media bus, we were repeatedly denied access through police checkpoints. Several routes were closed and at one stage the bus pulled over while officials stood on the roadside making phone calls trying to work out how to get us to the ground.
A colleague, who ignored the official transport and took an Uber, arrived in around 40 minutes.
My journey took over two hours.
And then came the scenes that overshadowed the opening match itself.
Chaos broke out on the streets while fans and journalists simply wanted to attend the game
Getting to the stadium was always going to be a challenge when the streets were packed out
The protests didn’t stop the dynamic football fever from exploding inside the Estadio Azteca
While fans queued up, nearby dissident teachers were airing their many grievances
It was difficult to make progress through the streets as tensions flares between locals
Throughout the day, protesters had gathered outside the stadium. Some were drawing attention to Mexico’s 133,000 missing persons crisis. Others were teachers protesting over pay, pensions and working conditions.
For hours the demonstrations remained peaceful.
Then, with just 10 minutes until kick-off, tensions exploded.
Hundreds of protesters surged towards the stadium’s southwest perimeter, attempting to breach security barriers protecting the inner ring. Rocks were thrown, flares lit up the sky and riot police rushed to prevent the crowd reaching the stadium.
Tear gas soon filled the air.
Mounted officers rode through burning fires as clashes intensified outside the ground. Protesters and police exchanged projectiles while spectators arriving for the match found themselves caught amid scenes of confusion and disorder.
One female police officer was evacuated on the back of a motorcycle after suffering a serious head injury while a colleague of mine was also hurt amid the disorder.
For a brief period, football – the reason everyone was there – became secondary.
Some people even caught fire as tensions quite literally hotted up in Mexico City
Police and security staff did their best to keep insurgents at bay near the opening ceremony
Despite the many troubles, Mexico put on a grand spectacle in the historic stadium
The festivities continued long after Mexico had defeated South Africa 2-0 in the curtain-raiser
The opening day of the World Cup was meant to showcase the host nation to the world. Instead, many arriving at the stadium were confronted by scenes of smoke, violence and unrest.
When I eventually sat down to watch the match, it felt almost surreal.
Twenty-four hours earlier I had arrived expecting football. Instead, I found myself with a stolen phone, trapped in transport chaos and watching violent clashes unfold outside the gates of the World Cup.
And the tournament had not even properly begun.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I know how fortunate I am to be here covering the biggest sporting event on the planet. It is a privilege that certainly doesn’t escape me. But after my first 24 hours in Mexico, I feel like I’ve packed an entire tournament’s worth of drama into a single day.
