My husband played American football in K-12. I once asked him why he played football and not soccer, since he is Mexican, and he said because football you get to wear a helmet. Don’t go thinking he was worried about safety, he was obsessed with Speed Racer and so any sport with a helmet when he was very little was attractive to him.
His favorite pro team is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Someone told me that Mexicans usually like either the Cowboys or the Steelers. I don’t know how true that is.
Anyway, my Mexican husband has always followed American football, but I don’t know how widespread that is across Mexico or other countries. I think soccer is much more popular across the world.