Soccer in the US is often seen as a preserve of the suburbs. But a new team in New York City is looking to upend stereotypes
In most of the world, from the favelas of Brazil to the working-class streets of London and Lagos, soccer is seen as the people’s game. A sport where all you need to play is a ball and a flat piece of ground.
In the US however, it is often seen as the pastime for the kids of well-heeled suburbanites, who can afford expensive coaching and the hefty fees required to join junior teams. Thus, we see soccer in the United States as it is today: serving mostly the white, wealthy and well-connected. As Zlatan Ibrahimovic said during his brief time with LA Galaxy, “…not everyone has the money needed and the sport should be something for everyone, because it unites races and people.”
Related: ‘It’s only working for the white kids’: American soccer’s diversity problem
