ABSTRACT
Down one to Venezuela during the 2016 Copa América Centenario, Mexico’s Jesús Corona would score one of the most jaw-dropping goals of the tournament, dribbling through five defenders and burying a shot into the back of the net. After beating his chest to his cheering compatriots in the stands, “Tecatito”—as he is popularly known—enjoyed the celebratory embrace of his fellow teammates, a group bear hug that honored his heroics. Although men’s soccer in Mexico represents one of the most influential discursive sites for constructing masculinity, homoaffective acts shared by the country’s “toughest” machos—most commonly, hugs, kisses, and butt-slaps following goals—prove the game’s capabilities for challenging heteronormativity.
