Kyle Shanahan & the 49ers praise NFL fanbase in Mexico: ‘I’d love to be here’
Nov 22, 2022, 11:09 AM | Updated: 11:59 am
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - NOVEMBER 21: Fans pose for a photo prior to a game between the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals at Estadio Azteca on November 21, 2022 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images)
(Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images)
Monday night’s win over the Arizona Cardinals brought a lot of joy for the San Francisco 49ers. Not only did they dominate a division rival handily, but the team also got to do it in front of a sold-out Mexico City crowd at Estadio Azteca.
The NFL earmarked Week 11’s international game as a home contest for the Cardinals. But from the reaction of the crowd Monday, it felt more like a 49ers home game. VividSeats predicted 82% of the tickets sold were for the Red & Gold Faithful, but it felt more like 90% at kickoff.
Every time the 49ers had a big play or scored a touchdown, the stadium erupted in cheers and passion that made the game a one-of-one experience for the organization.
“I love San Francisco, but if we couldn’t be there, I’d love to be here,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said postgame Monday night. “This place is awesome. It was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever been a part of. We were told it might be like that but it was even better than we expected.”
The 49ers are one of the most prominent fanbases in Mexico, only ranking behind the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers in the whole country. In fact, tight end George Kittle and defensive end Nick Bosa are two of the top five highest-selling jerseys south of the border, the only team with two players on the list.
Here’s how loudly the “home” team Cardinals were booed last night at Estadio Azteca by 49ers fans… pic.twitter.com/KRaPilXpKV
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) November 22, 2022
“I saw the game in Germany and those fans were just so happy for football to be there,” Kittle stated, after going off for 84 receiving yards and two TDs. “Coming down here, I know it was mostly Niners fans, too, so I knew the fans were going to show out. The reception that we got at the hotel last night was incredible. The fans all day here tonight were fantastic. It just had a completely different energy to it. You could tell how much it meant to each and every single fan that was there. And the lights show in the fourth quarter was probably one of the coolest moments of my career.”
“I love it man,” quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo added. “Mexican fans, they’re nuts, but we love that you know. As a team it just gets us going, the passion that they were yelling with, the energy they were bringing, it was a fun night and yeah I loved it.”
With the inclusion of international games now back in place, could we see more 49ers games in Latin America? Only time will tell.
