Mexican fans 'paint the town green'

A huge number of Mexican supporters “painted the town green” Tuesday, revelling at various locations in Doha and on their way to the 974 Stadium for the Mexico-Poland match.
Different metro stations witnessed high-spirited Mexican football fans – mostly garbed in green and donning the Mexican sombrero – converging at the Msheireb station singing and dancing while boarding the trains.
With a portable speaker, a group of Mexicans also entertained the crowd outside the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), creating a festive atmosphere that attracted numerous spectators.
“This is my first time here. I am enjoying (my stay) here in Doha. I like the city, it is very good, very beautiful,” said Enrique from Mexico, adding that he plans to visit the different touristic places in Qatar, such as Souq Waqif.
It is estimated that the number of Mexican football fans who will be travelling to Qatar for the prestigious tournament could exceed 80,000.
It will be the largest presence of Mexicans in a Middle Eastern country in history, it is learnt.
The unveiling of Mexican sculptures gifted to Qatar at Katara – the Cultural Village on Monday marked the start of the caravan of the Mexican fans for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in the country.
The Mexican-Qatari Centre was also inaugurated on November 19 by Katara general manager Prof Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti and Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon.
Besides a health clinic, the Centre features a cultural events office, and security and passport clearance offices for Mexican fans supporting their national team.