New York City friends and neighbors were pitted against each other in late June as they gathered at Xochimilco Family Restaurant, a Mexican eatery in the South Bronx. The draw: watching the Copa América group stage match between Mexico and Ecuador. Such moments are commonplace here; along with dedicated sports bars like Billy’s over by Yankee Stadium and international restaurants across the boroughs where the televisions always seem tuned to the global sport, Xochimilco attracts soccer supporters for games big and small.
Spectators hunkered down with enchiladas, burritos and beers—though the restaurant’s authentic Pueblan food goes well beyond those standards—while waiting for kickoff. And though the rain may have put a slight damper on attendance at the small, homey establishment, which has been serving the Latino-dominated neighborhood for nearly two decades, the passion of those in attendance more than made up for it. Soccer is, after all, part of the cultural identity for both countries represented in the game.
Green enchiladas
“Goal!” Jessica Andrade prematurely screams as Ecuador barely missed the net. The cheery Ecuador native, there with her daughter and granddaughter, says she has been a soccer fan for 54 years.
“She brought us here by force,” says Jessica’s daughter, Anny Andrade, with a smile; Anny recently moved to the Melrose neighborhood with her preteen daughter, Amaryllis.
(From left) Anny Andrade and Jessica Andrade
“When I took her to my country, she was 3 years old,” Jessica Andrade says with her hand on Amaryllis’ shoulder. “And she asked, ‘Can I have [a jersey] with my name and number?’ I don’t know if she still continues to keep it.”
Her granddaughter silently nods, confirming that she has the keepsake.
Still, while Ecuador was represented, more were there to support Mexico’s national team—no surprise as Mexicans make up the area’s second-largest Spanish-speaking demographic.
Ten-year-old Elias Quiñones, who has been playing soccer since he was 3, sat with his parents and offered a prediction of Mexico for the win, 1–0, with a last-minute goal. However, the young center back—whose favorite players include Lionel Messi of Argentina and Mexico’s own Jorge Alvarez—was anxious.
(From left) Elias Quiñones and Octavio Quiñones
“They’ve been playing bad,” says Quiñones. “First off, one of our best players got injured.”
The soccer aficionado was referencing Edson Alvarez’ hamstring injury sustained in Mexico’s first Copa match, when they beat Jamaica 1–0. Alvarez has been forced to sit out since, including Mexico’s subsequent loss to Venezuela.
One of Quiñones’ prized possessions is his Jorge Sánchez jersey, given to him by the Cruz Azul and national team player himself at a match at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field last year. “He put [his] perfume on it,” he says.
Elsewhere in the room, young couple Cindy Flores and Omar Corporan set up a friendly wager.
“If Ecuador wins, she’s going to pay the bill, and if Mexico wins, I pay the bill,” says Corporan. Flores rolled her eyes laughing.
Cheers died down as quickly as they rose with every time Mexico neared the net but failed to make a goal. Food kept firing from the kitchen throughout the match, and to-go orders were relentless as delivery drivers constantly came in and out of the friendly, family-owned restaurant, which Jordanna Mata recently took over from her parents, Rafael and Susana.
(From left) Rafael, Jordanna and Susana
After plenty of shouting and nail-biting, the final was 0–0, eliminating Mexico from the world’s oldest international soccer tournament, founded back in 1916. Ecuador, meanwhile, advanced to the next round.
Andrade was over the moon and immediately jumped on a video call with a friend watching the game in Ecuador.
Corporan and Flores adjusted their bet to the team that moved on, since there was no outright winner. Still, Corporan insisted on paying the bill.
