Ways Latinos in the US come together for Fútbol
Ways Latinos in the US come together for Fútbol

FÚTBOL

Ways Latinos in the US come together for Fútbol

Futbol fever is well ingrained in Europe, the Middle East, the Arab World, and Latin America, although the United States has been reluctant to fall in love with the game.

A unique passion. A global festival. The fireworks, the flares, the colours, the sounds, the chants, surrounding like the wind and the beautiful noise of thousands of people united with their voices, their heartbeats, their desires. The dreams of a town, a nation. The explosions in the sky. “True love”, says Borussia Dortmund’s slogan. “More than a club”, recites Barcelona as a raison d'être. It is football, soccer, fútbol. Whatever you want to call it. A unique passion.

Futbol fever is well ingrained in Europe, the Middle East, the Arab World, and Latin America, although the United States has been reluctant to fall in love with the game, with the 2014 World Cup exception. Local and national teams around the globe move social feelings: sense of belonging, search for identity, defense of the own soil, values, and ideologies. Soccer recalls home. Latino community in the United States has taken refuge in fútbol looking for an escape from tedious daily life: hard work, nostalgia, homesickness, the challenges that involves living in a different country. Latinos cannot forget fútbol, despite being far away from home. They take their passion through their new lives; fútbol fits in their suitcase. The prominence of other sports, such as basketball, football (NFL), hockey, baseball, finds objection in latino passion for soccer. MLS has raised and evolved over the years, European elite teams tend to choose the US for establish their summer training camps and, actually, FIFA decided that America could be a magnificent World Cup host back in 1994. Fútbol has knocked down the doors and the walls.

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SOCCER-WORLDCUP-MEX-USAFútbol among not latin population is not yet a popular sport in the US

Andres Cantor, widely known fútbol broadcaster currently working for Telemundo, popular among english-speaking audience, considers that latino community “needs a window where to refresh itself: fútbol and television have become essential for them. Two decades ago, we depended, as a minority, on one voice that would not talk to us. Now, this has changed”. Miguel Angel Sanchez, visual artist living in Los Angeles and college fútbol player, stated that the game, indeed, contributes to social integration: “Latinos go to the Mexican ‘fut’ team matches for the fiesta, get some autographs and have a day with their family and friends, even though they do not know a lot about the team they are rooting for. Soccer brings them close to their homeland”. Per se, hispanic community is already united, worried about the other, warm and close, fighting for their rights and careful about their needs. Soccer comes as a social construct. “Politics, deportations, the american dream, all of this brings latinos together”.

Cesar Martinez, 3D designer, also living in LA, supports Cantor’s view: “We lived in North Oregon and my brother’s soccer high school had its matches broadcasted on local television. That had never happened before. Each day, there are more fútbol players and fans”. Martinez also emphasizes the role that fútbol has played in his life. He came in the US with just 5 years old. “Back then, the game was not popular at all. In fact, I sensed some racism during my first years here. Thanks to my passion for fútbol, I have met some people. When Mexican national team comes to the US, we all get united. For the World Cup, I have already planned to meet with family and friends to watch the games”. Miguel Angel Sanchez recalls that, even though Mexico is not their home country, Guatemalans, Hondurans or Nicaraguans tend to support ‘El Tri’. This is because "el fut’ “is a universal language. The most beautiful sport in the world”.

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2014 World Cup galvanized a whole nation. Team USA was never as supported as that year. Soccer became interesting not just for Latinos.

Latino influence in the US

Hispanic population in the US, according to a 2015 ranking by Pew Research Center, a public opinion bureau, reaches 56,477,000: 65% have Mexican origins, 10% are Puerto Rican, and 3.8% are Salvadoran; this is based on self-described race or ethnicity. The same paper establishes that Venezuelans are the main inmigrant group foreign-born (71%), followed by Hondurans (63%) and Peruvians (63%). Mexicans (32%), Spaniards (15%) and Puerto Ricans (2%) tend to be second generation or further inmigrants. PRC also demonstrated that Mexican inmigration has declined over the past years due to the Great Recession. Since 1990 until 2007, arrivals from Mexico into the US reached its peak year after year (12,750 in 2007), but the tide changed with the financial crisis. From almost 57 million hispanics, 35 are fluent in English (64%). The State with the biggest latino inmigration is, still, California (15.2 million, 38.9%) followed by Texas (10.2 million, 18.2%). Latinos are the biggest so-called ‘minority’ in the US and over the years they have conquered several public spaces, although there is so much to be done for equality and integration. Fútbol has had a main role.

What country will latinos support in the World Cup?

With Team USA early elimination, some of the support will be divided in the rest of Latin American countries facing the FIFA World Cup in Russia. A survey published by AS USA noted that, despite the general belief, Mexico will not be the favourite national team among our readers. It would be Colombia (17.5%), followed by Argentina (16.22%) and ‘El Tri’ (14.8%) is in a surprising third place. Nevertheless, the major influence that Juan Carlos Osorio’s team exerts over the Mexican community in the States has been proved several times. The total attendance for ‘El Tri’ farewell match before travelling to Russia against Wales at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl reached 82,345. Sports Illustrated late issue shows Hirving Lozano, Carlos Vela and Chicharito Hernández in its cover as the title ‘America’s other team’ describes Mexican side. In fact, Mexico is the only national team in the world that celebrates two farewell matches in different countries. Indeed, 'America's other team'.

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