“Football will always bring us together”

“My first family memories were all about football,” says Edson Álvarez. “We had a routine every weekend: We would all have breakfast together and then, no matter what, whether it was Saturday or Sunday, we would go to my dad’s game.”

El Machín. The Captain. Álvarez is one of the biggest stars of Mexico’s national team—as well as playing for West Ham United in London—but family always comes first. His father, Evaristo, was also a professional player, and Álvarez insists that the credit for his own meteoric rise should go to him and his mother, Adriana.

“My dad is my mentor, the best, along with my mom. When I played for Pachuca [a club team in Hidalgo], he would wake up at 4:30 a.m. and take me to training. Later, when I played for América [one of Mexico City’s club teams], he taught me how to get to the far south training camps, and he never missed a game of mine.” 

Today, the 26-year-old is based in London with his partner Sofia and their two daughters—just the latest stop in a career that has gifted him ample opportunity to travel the world. Born in Tlalnepantla, he left home at just nine years of age to pursue his dream of playing professionally, progressing from Club América to Amsterdam’s A.F.C. Ajax and now the English Premier League club, West Ham United. And between club games, he represents the Mexico national team.

“I’m deeply grateful to football for the opportunity to travel the world,” he says. “When I had the chance to visit Tokyo and experience that culture… It was mind-blowing. And I loved Rome. Seeing the Vatican was a moving experience that reminded me of my childhood going to church with my parents. It’s a sacred and impressive place.”

And then, of course, there’s CDMX’s must-see destination for football fans: the Azteca Stadium, the official home ground for both the Mexico national team and Club América. “Playing your first game at the Azteca Stadium is indescribable,” he recalls. “I didn’t feel any fear at any time. On the contrary: My moment had arrived and even though I was very young, I was going to show my talent and prove I was ready for the big stage.”

Today, vacations are more precious than ever. “A footballer’s time is very limited, so I try to disconnect, to be with my friends, my daughters, my partner and parents,” he says. But no matter where he is in the world, there’s one thing that never changes: “Talking football with my dad. He shares his opinion on what he saw in the game, what I did well, and what I could have done better”, he says. “In the end, the support and love that my parents and my family have given me is the most important thing to me.

“I feel like it’s impossible for us to ever be apart,” he adds. “Because football will always bring us together.”

How football unites families in Mexico

In Mexico, children are born with their family’s favorite football team already etched in their hearts. They carry those colors forever, and the crowds at matches are a sea of painted faces. Traveling to away games is a sacred ritual for die-hard supporters, creating a tidal wave of noise in the visiting section. Some games, particularly in Mexico City, see entire families attending, making for a vibrant atmosphere with chants and songs.

Outside every stadium, street vendors hawk memorabilia, from jerseys to pet accessories, and of course, you can also grab tacos, hot dogs, pizza—even homemade cocktails. Inside, food vendors abound, selling chelas (cold beer in large paper cups) or micheladas (beer with lime juice and a spicy-sweet sauce)—both just as quintessential to a Mexican football experience as shouting “goal!”