MUNDIAL Films RELEASES 'No Era Penal' Documentary Exploring the Soul of Mexican Football Culture
A new film from football lifestyle and media brand MUNDIAL’s MUNDIAL Films, releases today, telling the story of Mexican football fandom, culture, and the impact of the infamous ‘No Era Penal ’- the moment a disputed penalty in El Tri’s 2014 World Cup match against the Netherlands resulted in the team’s dramatic elimination and happened 22 years ago today
The Mexican national team hope to move past No Era Penal with their next FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Ecuador on Tuesday at 7pm (local time). If they win, it will be the first time the team has moved beyond their fourth game at the tournament since 1986.
No Era Penal (Spanish for It wasn’t a penalty) features interviews with Mexico striker Raul Jimenez, former El Tri Head Coach Miguel Herrera, Mexican WWE legend and football fan Rey Mysterio, Alana Merez, founder of Latinx in Sports and Alex Esquivel, the co-founder of the Mexican streetwear brand Sad Boyz.
To commemorate the No Era Penal anniversary, MUNDIAL has partnered with Sad Boyz on a limited edition t-shirt. Emblazoned with rhinestones, the shirt remembers No Era Penal as, "día mas tríste" (the saddest day).
The film also features interviews with fans recorded ahead of the team’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including one fan attending his third World Cup match on home soil, having witnessed matches at both Mexico 1970 and 1986.
With many interviews recorded outside the iconic and recently renovated Estadio Azteca, the film captures the important role the stadium has played in Mexico’s history and that of the World Cup itself, with both Pele and Maradona having lifted the World Cup trophy on its pitch.
After establishing Mexico’s place in World Cup history and the country’s unique football culture, the film builds to No Era Penal, a moment that embodies Mexican football like no other and what it means to those who lived it.
While the moment is regarded by some as the saddest day in Mexican football, the film highlights how the fans have moved forward and their optimism for the national team at the 2026 World Cup.
MUNDIAL Editor, Asad Raza said: “With the US dominating much of the conversation in mainstream football media, we wanted to tell the story of a country with real World Cup roots, celebrating it’s culture but also how that culture and togetherness has enabled the nation to experience catharsis following a moment that’s defined Mexican football - and is something the country is looking to move past at this tournament.”
No Era Penal is available to watch now on MUNDIAL’s YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i84u_Y35k04
It will also be screened at Footballco’s 2-week-long football and culture festival, House of GOAL, at Brooklyn’s Industry City, which kicks off on July 3rd.
What is No Era Penal? In 2014, Mexico faced the Netherlands in the round of 16. With high hopes, El Tri were leading 1-0 until the 88th minute when Wesley Sneijder drew the Dutch level. Then, in injury time, Arjen Robben won a penalty after going down under a challenge by Mexico captain Rafael Marquez, which was followed by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar putting the ball away to win the game for the Netherlands - denying El Tri their first quarter-final in 28 years. The penalty was disputed by Mexican fans, and the moment went down in history as No Era Penal. To this day, Mexico are yet to go beyond the QUARTER FINALS at a World Cup.
