1988 Mexico national football team scandal

The cachirules scandal was a 1988 association football scandal in which the Mexican Football Federation (FEMEXFUT) was found to have knowingly used at least four overage players on the Mexico under-20 team which played at the 1988 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament, a qualification tournament for the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship. FIFA, the world governing body, imposed a severe sanction on FEMEXFUT, banning its senior and underage teams from all international competition for two years (1988–1990). As a result, the Mexico national football team were absent from the 1990 FIFA World Cup. The scandal has been considered a turning point in the history of football in Mexico.

Mexico and other national youth teams of the CONCACAF region were required to finish in first or second place in the 1988 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament hosted in Guatemala during April 1988 in order to qualify for the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier in the same year, FIFA issued a statement warning all national associations not to attempt to deceive the footballing authorities regarding the age of players participating in youth tournaments (in response to what was common practice by youth teams across the world of including players of age over the regulatory limit). The maximum age established by FIFA for participation of footballers in the Youth World Championship was 20 years.

Mexico first played two matches against Guyana national team, whom they beat by scores of 9–0 and 2–0, and then against locals Guatemala national team, winning again both matches 2–1 and 3–0. This last victory occurred on 20 April 1988 with forward Gerardo Jiménez scoring a goal, which secured the first place of the group for Mexico and their qualification to the World Youth Championship.

...
Wikipedia