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Where the Game Lives

The World Cup in Venezuela, as seen by Cao Sanchez

By Where Is Football

July 13^th, 2018

The minimum wage today in Venezuela is $2 USD per month.

A new football: $20.

A pair of boots: $45.

A new TV: $275.

A cable subscription to go with it: $125.

If you know anything about Venezuela, you know we are facing a dire economic situation. It is one that touches all aspects of our lives.

And, yet, at a time when many people here are struggling to eat, our love of football is something that sustains us. Many think Venezuela is not a football nation. It is true that domestic interest in the sport trails baseball.

But, those people are wrong.

The passion here for the game is undeniable, unbreakable, and plain for all to see during times like this.

Any way we can consume football, we will.

Our matches may use balls without air or happen in dreadful conditions. But, make no mistake, this is the beautiful game in every sense of the word.

Let's start with how we watch the game. These photos are from a fishing town called Chuao, three hours away from the capital, Caracas. It is known for having the best cocoa in the country—but one thing it does not have is much in the way of technology or connectivity to the outside world.

Cable service providers are not commonly found in homes here—and if they are, the TVs are usually tiny and ancient.

But it doesn’t matter during the World Cup: If the game is on, we’ll find a way.

You see, football is not just a passion or a hobby—it is something that can change our society. It brings us together, no matter our political differences, age, gender, or sexual orientation. Times like these are why we need football.

Recently, I went to the opening of a 5-a-side street soccer court in the ¨Los Ruices¨ neighbourhood of Caracas. This field was rebuilt thanks to the donations of private companies and a ton of effort from around the community—and it was created with the express purpose of providing an alternative and safe recreational space for children.

The community wanted to demonstrate that during these tough times there is a path away from drugs, crime, and harmful activities—and it is called the beautiful game.

These children are our future, and we’re hopeful for that future—on the pitch as well as off.

While our country has never qualified for a World Cup, we recently finished second in the under-20 global championship.

Watching the World Cup and playing the sport is getting harder with the years here, even as it grows more accessible in other parts of the globe.

But the beautiful game has taught us one important thing: To have faith.

During the World Cup, I also made another important stop to see the soul of the game in our country.

I dropped in to check out the quarterfinal of an under-16 tournament, the Copa Romulo Hernandez, between EF Calasanz and Madeirense. The match was played at Calasanz's home ground, in the big neigborhood of Catia, near to one of the biggest slums in Venezuela (¨23 de enero¨), with an estimated population of 500,000 people.

This is a humble pitch, but a storied one. It was where current professional players like Salomon Rondón, Alexander Gonzalez, and Alejandro ¨Lobo¨ Guerra learned their trade, lining up as Calasanz players before moving onto the heights of the Premier League, La Liga, and Brazil's top flight.

This is where many professional players took their first steps, where they overcame the obstacles of daily life in Venezuela, and where they learned we must dream to accomplish all of our goals.

I had been wanting to visit their amazing field for some time. A dusty football pitch located on a steep hill, with almost no grass, save for a bit by one of the goals.

Here, you'll find no terraces, no benches, no stairs to watch from. Just views of the surrounding mountains, the homes beneath, and the game unfolding before our eyes.

Nothing is hidden from here.

This is a scene that expresses the essence and heritage of the sport in Venezuela. Here, the game is a reflection of life. Even during official matches, the rough edges of the game in our country shine through and demonstrate that everything—from the bottom to the pinnacle of the sport—comes from scarcity, but also from a position of honesty.

In many ways, this is what makes the sport in our country all the more beautiful. Nothing is glossy, nothing is fake. Just a bunch of people and a ball.

Today, we are struggling to emerge from a massive social and economic crisis.

But, we are hopeful for tomorrow.

One day we’ll be a part of the party.

Perhaps in four years.

For now, we'll just enjoy every kick.

Footnotes

Photos and words by Cao Sanchez, as told to Zack Goldman. You can find Cao on social media @caosanchez and us @whereisfootball. Got a #whereisfootballstory to tell? Email us: here@whereisfootball.com

Button Label

FootNotes

Photos and words by Cao Sanchez, as told to Zack Goldman. You can find Cao on social media @caosanchez and us @whereisfootball. Got a #whereisfootballstory to tell? Email us: here@whereisfootball.com

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Where the Game Lives

The World Cup in Venezuela, as seen by Cao Sanchez

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