Keeper credits strong league for continued national team success

It is a sunny afternoon in Cuernavaca and Jorge Campos arrives at a press conference at the hotel where the national team is sequestered during the Confederations Cup. His team has reached the final, but one journalist keeps insisting that Campos has been guilty of mistakes. “Are you a portero [goalkeeper]?” Campos asks the scribe. “No, you are a re-portero [reporter], so you do your work and I will do mine.” Two days later, Campos holds his part of the bargain and Mexico takes the title. Since starting his career a decade ago with UNAM Pumas as a forward, the flamboyant goalkeeper has become one of the most celebrated players in Mexican history. His forays out of the penalty area have made him world famous, but even the popular Campos isn’t spared by the critical Mexican media. However, his coaches, from Bora Milutinovic to Miguel Mejia Baron to Manuel Lapuente, always kept their faith. Lapuente forgave him a mishap caused by his adventurous style in a 2-2 friendly tie with Argentina in June and started him throughout the Copa America and Confederations Cup. Campos was helpless on Brazil’s goals in the 4-3 final win and made the saves to preserve the win. “When they tied 2-2, I thought they would beat us because they went on the attack with all they had and we were disconcerted because those two goals came by surprise,” says Campos. “But we were able to react and now we are champions and we can play against anyone.” Lapuente praised Campos’ performance in the 1-0 semifinal win against the Americans. “He didn’t lose his concentration in the whole game,” says Lapuente. “That is something really difficult during a match where the other team’s offense doesn’t get close to the goal.” When the U.S. players challenged him, Campos reacted quickly and efficiently, particularly when he snuffed out a close-range blast by Ernie Stewart.

MLS future uncertain

That Mexico proved so successful this summer, Campos says, was through a combination of youth and experience. The defense, for example, was held together by 20-year-old Rafael Marquez and 29-year-old Claudio Suarez. Marquez, who has been signed by French First Division Monaco, was among the youngsters who took Atlas to a runner-up finish behind Toluca in the Torneo Verano ’99. (The split Mexican league season crowns two champions a year.) “Young players are improving a lot and that is something we are starting to see currently in the league,” says Campos. “Consequently, the national team is taking advantage of that.” The emergence of new homegrown talent has helped quell the debate over whether allowing teams five foreign players has hurt the development of Mexican players. “It is the Federation that has to decide if they want to decrease the number of foreigners allowed per team,” says Campos. “We know there are a lot of them, but we can’t decide, we just hope they do the right thing and Mexican soccer continues improving.” This year’s major foreign signing was made by Toros Neza, which acquired aging Brazilian World Cup star Bebeto. One issue that still rankles Mexican players is their lack of influence on moves within the league. Campos was unsure of his club future just two weeks before the league kickoff Aug. 14. “It looks like I am going to be on sale,” Campos said. “It is still unclear if I am going to stay with Pumas [UNAM] or some other team. It will be decided when the tournament is over.” Then UNAM vice president Javier Jimenez promptly announced that Campos will remain with Pumas. Teammate Ramon Ramirez has been involved in two controversial transfers within the last year ù from Guadalajara to Club America to Tigres ù and has pushed for the formation of a players’ association. Not only was Ramirez moved both times without being consulted, he claims he is still owed money by Club America and the Tigres transfer is being held up. “I hope we can get that [a players’ association] done soon because it is going help Mexican soccer a lot,” Campos said. Whether Campos ever returns to MLS, which has owned half his contract since 1996 when he started a two-season stint with Los Angeles, remains uncertain. “I would like to go back over there,” says Campos. Campos left Chicago last season when Coach Bob Bradley made it clear that he preferred Zach Thornton in the Fire’s goal. Campos, who had just arrived to MLS after his performance at France ’98, returned to Mexico to join UNAM. “I had never had any problem with the Fire,” says Campos. “It was Pumas that asked for my services and both teams reached a financial agreement to let me go.” Though Campos didn’t have to bounce between two leagues this past year, he’s still played non-stop soccer because of Mexico’s ambitious national team schedule. Since the beginning of last summer, Campos played 26 league games and 24 national team matches. “Being a member of the national team is a great honor,” says Campos. “And the number of games I have to play because of that doesn’t overwhelm me.” And national team play has proved profitable ù the Mexican federation is giving $50,000 bonuses to each of its victorious Confederations Cup players. by Soccer America editor Amparo Sim=n in Cuernavaca, Mexico