Community Soccer: A Local Take on the World Cup

In Boyle Heights, a new art show opened last Friday at Espacio 1839. The space was alive with music, the smell of leather and bright soccer shirts hanging on racks. People crowded in because the shop was full, and a new exhibit called “El Fútbol Es del Pueblo” was on display. The exhibition has more than thirty pieces that talk about soccer from a local point of view. The owner, Nico Aviña, said the goal is to remind everyone that soccer belongs to the people. He feels that the World Cup can sometimes feel like a big money grab. Fans of soccer around the world get excited every four years for the World Cup, but in Los Angeles it can be very expensive. Tickets to SoFi Stadium cost thousands of dollars and parking near the venue can add another two hundred dollars. Aviña thinks many people are being asked to pay too much for a game that should be more accessible. One visitor, Antonio Rivera, talked about how soccer felt special when he was a child in Mexico. He remembers watching the 1986 World Cup with his family and feeling proud. Now he says it is hard for families to get tickets. He thinks this shows why people should question the organization behind these events.Rivera brought his son Marc and a friend to the show. The three teenagers had painted a comic strip of Mexican player Alexis Vega. Rivera said it is important to give young people space to express themselves. Another artist, Vianney Harelly, displayed a painting with a bloody cross and the words “soccer comes with blood and tears. ” The piece also references stories about workers who were paid less by a sports brand. Harelly wanted to show the hidden problems that come with big tournaments. Gerardo Gómez, who had a favorite scarf reading “Siempre Antifascista, ” said the art shows how many people love soccer but do not support FIFA. He pointed out that major sporting events often force families to leave their homes for new stadiums. Instead, he prefers the Homeless World Cup, which gives people who have been left out a chance to play together. As the day ended, some visitors moved to Mariachi Plaza for an informal soccer game. A small group of players and fans played a scrimmage while drums beat and chants about immigration were shouted. Claudia Llontop, who brought her kids, said the event felt bittersweet because many families are still being deported. She believes that this community play is more powerful than the big tournament because it comes from the people themselves.