Community in Soccer

“I came to America when I was 15 years old because I wanted a better life for me and my parents. Now I am 38. Similar to a lot of people, I came here illegally. I traveled through all of Mexico to get here. It should have been difficult for me to travel in Mexico without any documentation, but 25 years ago in Guatemala the civil war had just ended. Any time I was stopped by Mexico’s immigration agents, I had to lie to them and say that I was being persecuted by the Guatemalan government. Once I said that, they let me keep going.

I began playing soccer when I was 5 years old in Guatemala, my home country. I played soccer all the time, every chance I had. I played with my friends, family and neighbors during our school breaks. We played any time we could. Soccer is the most popular sport in Guatemala and Latin America in general. Soccer gained popularity in America only 25 years ago. Leagues began and more people became interested in the sport.”

P.S. Los Angeles,

“Now, in America, I play soccer with my son and watch him play with his cousins and friends. Soccer is something we bond over, an interest we both share. I play with my son and in leagues at the park, but I enjoy watching soccer just as much. I love watching soccer tournaments, especially the European leagues.”