The cross-border passion fueling San Diego's soccer scene

New York Times

3 days ago

This article is part of our Finding Fútbol series, a special feature produced by The Athletic to chronicle how the U.S.'s Hispanic communities celebrate and enrich the beautiful game.
SAN DIEGO – It is just after 6 a.m. when Ivan Chavez leaves his mother's house in Tijuana, Mexico, a backpack slung over his shoulder and soccer shoes ready on his feet.
The border crossing into San Diego is reasonably quiet on Sundays – something he already knows, having made this journey many times before. In fact, it has become second nature.
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Today, he is heading to a tournament but is not even expecting to play. He just loves chasing the game.
This is what soccer does when it grabs hold of you, he reasons, the pull being enough to even cross borders. For the 27-year-old Chavez, early daylight offers a glimpse of what might become possible.
'I go back and forth a lot,' he explains. 'I've been doing it for years. My mom lives over there, in Tijuana. That's a big part of why I move between the two places.
'The thing is, when I was younger, she got deported. That changed everything. We had both been living here in San Diego, but after that happened, I started going over to Tijuana more. At first it was tough, but that's where I really got into soccer.
'Over there, it's part of the culture and everybody plays. At school, the kids bring a ball to class to play right after. It is everywhere and that energy pulls you in.'
Chavez is talking from the artistic industrial center of San Diego's Barrio Logan distract, just past midday, long after his early morning rise over in Mexico.
'I only turned up today to watch,' he reveals. 'I was not on a team, but when I got here a side called Big Dawgs were one player short and asked me to join them … so of course I did.
'I just have to get back to Tijuana by 6 p.m. because I have another game over there for another team I play for. I know that probably sounds tricky but it will be OK. It's normal for me. I've been doing this since I was a teenager. I have two worlds I live in. I love it.'
The soccer tournament is called Rey Del Barrio – a 12-team contest held in a caged futsal pitch, surrounded by murals painted on the concrete walls of overlapping freeway ramps. It is a competition purposefully rooted in this community.
San Diego is a richly diverse city, with a Hispanic or Latino population that makes up nearly one-third of its residents.
The Chicano Futsal setup is growing fast across San Diego and this hub is a free, inclusive program that attracts anyone who wants to play. Sessions often draw more than 40 players at a time.
Tony Diorio has become one of the group's leaders. Before our conversation even begins, three players come by separately to greet him with fist bumps and hugs, a father figure being greeted by some of the grateful recipients of his community efforts.
'It's a love of the game that makes you wanna be here,' he says. 'I'm friends with people that don't speak English very well, and I don't speak Spanish very well. But I say hello, we smile and communicate through the game. We have an understanding that connects us.
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'One thing I notice a lot here in San Diego is how many people have soccer tattoos – not just the usual stuff like a ball or a heart, but really personal expressions of love for the game. It's part of the culture here. At our games, as long as you're willing to put in the time and respect others, there are no barriers. Not money, not background. It's just about showing up and playing.
'A lot of people live in Tijuana and come up to play. This is international football and everybody loves it.'
Around 84 percent of San Diego's Hispanic community are of Mexican origin – but the city also hosts smaller yet meaningful numbers of Puerto Ricans, Salvadorans, Peruvians, Guatemalans, Colombians, and more.
In the parking lot of Snapdragon Stadium on a warm July afternoon, a group of children kick a ball around in the dust of Purple parking Lot. Just yards away, a stretch of grills and folding tables has transformed part of the space into a vibrant street party.
Music thumps from speakers, the scent of carne asada fills the air, and fans wearing San Diego FC's azul and chrome color scheme drink beneath a canopy of flags.
The tailgate is a sea of energy and noise. Amongst it is 34-year-old Alamo Cassiani, who grew up in Barranquilla, Colombia, and kept his passion alive since arriving in San Diego as a teenager.
'My dad took me to the stadium from a young age and we followed Junior FC as a family,' he says. 'In South America, football isn't just a sport, it's who you are. The passion gets passed down early. Win or lose, you're there, singing.'
He played football in school, and pickup games in his San Diego neighborhood maintained his connection with the sport.
'I was never professional, nothing like that,' he laughs. 'But I was always playing. It was how we connected, how we grew up.'
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Snapdragon is home of San Diego FC, MLS's newest franchise, launched earlier this year. The emphasis on the roots of its foundation is clear in their motto messaging: 'Community comes first in our Club. When we say San Diego this includes the entire region, including all 18 cities in San Diego County plus the cross border communities in Mexico.'
For Cassiani, the club helps fill the need for more football in his life and he has become one of the leaders of the Barra 18 supporters' group.
'Everyone brings a little of their own flavor, in our group we have people from Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and many other places. We're building something really special.
'Two weeks ago I flew to Colombia with some members of the Barra to visit family and friends. While we were there, we went to a match in one of the cities, and seeing that passion firsthand again was incredible. From the outside, you can really see the difference – the level of intensity, the traditions. That's where we want to get to with San Diego. And we will.'
While SDFC represents the game at its highest level, it provides inspiration for everyone.
Esteban Toscano is a 23-year-old soccer content creator and Sunday league player at the core of the city's football culture.
Watching San Diego FC has become central to his life and true fulfillment comes when he is on the turf.
He is coming to terms with a disappointing defeat for Stanley FC, his team in the California Soccer League, who have been eliminated in an El Cajon playoff game.
'It was so hot,' Toscano says. 'There is no place out there that is cool. It was a tight game but we lost 2-1. I often play in goal but in this game I played as a winger. Obviously it was disappointing but being part of it really does mean a lot.
'Playing Sunday league, you build this routine. Every week, you've got the group, the game. It's competitive, it's fast, and you've got guys going into hard tackles and trying to show their skills. But it's also a space for connection,' he says. 'It keeps me healthy and connected. I just love being part of a strong social group.'
The California Soccer League was founded in 1988 and what began as a pick-up session has grown to a competitive stage, with over 100 teams across all levels.
'We are in the top league, so it is very competitive – but there are also levels of it where it's more laid back, for people who just want to play for the love of the game. People who are maybe 40 or 50 years old can still enjoy it.'
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From veterans to ex-pros – including Alex Morgan's husband, Servando Carrasco, at one stage – the league reflects the variety of San Diego's soccer scene.
'You see a lot of Hispanic teams, but also Arabic teams, Caribbean teams. It's beautiful. And yeah, we even see the odd celebrity.'
Toscano was born in San Diego, grew up on the Mexican side of the border, before shifting back to America. He now lives in Coronado.
'My brother and friend got me into the game and I started playing when I was around 11 – first as a left back, but then I got obsessed with goalkeeping,' he says. 'I had the gloves, I'd do the drills. I just loved it.'
That love never left and today he is able to produce social media content, zipping around the city making skill videos.
For Chavez, Cassiani, Toscano and thousands like them in San Diego, the game is a thread that stitches together countries, cultures and identity. For them, soccer at its most fundamental level is not just what they do, it's who they are.
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