Classy Monterrey give champions Santos a guard of honor after loss in final

Santos Laguna beat Monterrey 2-1 in the second leg of the Mexican Primera Division final to win the clausura on an aggregate score of 3-2. Last month, it was Monterrey who beat Santos on a 4-3 aggregate score in the CONCACAF Champions League final, so these two sides have played four matches with the titles on the line in about as many weeks.

Instead of creating a vitriolic bitterness between the two sides (which seems customary these days), it apparently created feelings of respect between worthy adversaries -- something that was previously only thought to exist in children's films and the 1950s. So after the final whistle, Monterrey didn't wallow in their own sadness or storm back into their dressing room, they stayed on the pitch and lined up to give the Santos players a guard of honor (or pasillo de honor) as they went to collect their winners' medals.

Here's video of the post-match festivities (relevant part starts at about 4:40)...

Though the pasillo is a tradition in Spain, this was an unusual but classy move for a Mexican club and a nice reminder that sportsmanship isn't quite dead yet after all.


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