Mexico's Coach Bans Players From Sex During the World Cup
By Mike Cardillo
Mexico, some could say, screwed around during its World Cup qualifying campaign, needing to defeat New Zealand in a playoff to ensure a last-ditch spot in Brazil. In turn, coach Miguel Herrera isn’t messing around when his team arrives in South America, banning players from having sex (and booze) during the tournament.
"“If a player can not endure a month or 20 days without having intercourse, then you are not prepared to be a professional,” Herrera told Mexican newspaper Reforma. “Let’s play a World Cup, we’re not going to a party.”"
This sort of decree from a coach happens on the eve of every major tournament or sporting event of this nature. As of yet there hasn’t been an advanced metrics-type breakdown comparing the performance of teams with sex or no-sex policies in place for the World Cup.
That said, it might not be the dumbest idea by Herrera given how El Tri suspended eight players for allegedly inviting prostitutes to the team hotel ahead of the 2011 Copa America. Scoring, of course, was an issue for Mexico in the final round of qualifying, notching only seven goals in 10 games in the CONCACAF Hexagonal.