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As Cuba Opens, the World’s Sport May Take Hold New Territory for Global Game
(about 3 hours later)
SAN JOSÉ DE LAS LAJAS, Cuba — Ronald Hernandez Vega did not come to see a game played with the hands.SAN JOSÉ DE LAS LAJAS, Cuba — Ronald Hernandez Vega did not come to see a game played with the hands.
There was baseball Monday morning, one and a half innings to complete a rainout in Cuba’s national league. Hernandez Vega did not care. He sat outside the provincial stadium in languid daylight, wearing the jersey not of Yasiel Puig but of Lionel Messi.There was baseball Monday morning, one and a half innings to complete a rainout in Cuba’s national league. Hernandez Vega did not care. He sat outside the provincial stadium in languid daylight, wearing the jersey not of Yasiel Puig but of Lionel Messi.
Baseball is the sport of Cuba’s revolution, but soccer is the sport of the arriving world.Baseball is the sport of Cuba’s revolution, but soccer is the sport of the arriving world.
“I like soccer better than baseball,” Hernandez Vega, 16, said as he headed to a nearby field for practice. “It’s a strong sport, the movement, the energy.”“I like soccer better than baseball,” Hernandez Vega, 16, said as he headed to a nearby field for practice. “It’s a strong sport, the movement, the energy.”
Baseball seems perfectly suited to this retro island, where the sporting attitudes, like many of the cars, are from the 1950s. But baseball can be static, as inert as radon. Soccer is nonstop, frenetically creative, its passion building from its penury, the rarity of a goal bringing theatrical release to its players and screaming ecstasy to its announcers.Baseball seems perfectly suited to this retro island, where the sporting attitudes, like many of the cars, are from the 1950s. But baseball can be static, as inert as radon. Soccer is nonstop, frenetically creative, its passion building from its penury, the rarity of a goal bringing theatrical release to its players and screaming ecstasy to its announcers.
Soccer now rivals baseball as the favorite sport of many young Cubans. They play on lumpy fields and streets dotted with potholes, rushing to fill empty spaces like water, improvising with goals made of fishing nets, bed frames and school desks.Soccer now rivals baseball as the favorite sport of many young Cubans. They play on lumpy fields and streets dotted with potholes, rushing to fill empty spaces like water, improvising with goals made of fishing nets, bed frames and school desks.
In a pickup game last Monday in Havana, playing barefoot on slanted asphalt, Marlon Peres Capotes yelled, “Goooooal,” and did a cartwheel each time he kicked a sagging basketball between two chunks of rock. In a pickup game on Monday in Havana, playing barefoot on slanted asphalt, Marlon Peres Capotes yelled, “Goooooal,” and did a cartwheel each time he kicked a sagging basketball between two chunks of rock.
“It makes you want to celebrate,” said Peres Capotes, 11.“It makes you want to celebrate,” said Peres Capotes, 11.
Now comes the intrigue of Cuba’s improved relations with the United States. Will they help open Cuban soccer the way they are expected to open Cuban baseball? Will youthful enthusiasm lead to elite achievement?Now comes the intrigue of Cuba’s improved relations with the United States. Will they help open Cuban soccer the way they are expected to open Cuban baseball? Will youthful enthusiasm lead to elite achievement?
Will there be greater access to Major League Soccer or leagues in Spain and Brazil? Will Cuba’s best players stop defecting, finding no need to walk furtively from their hotels in Florida or sneak out the front door of Walmart? Will Cuba grow to rival Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago as a Caribbean power? Will it build toward its first World Cup appearance since 1938?Will there be greater access to Major League Soccer or leagues in Spain and Brazil? Will Cuba’s best players stop defecting, finding no need to walk furtively from their hotels in Florida or sneak out the front door of Walmart? Will Cuba grow to rival Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago as a Caribbean power? Will it build toward its first World Cup appearance since 1938?
“Our main problem is no chance to compete internationally,” said Ariel Curbalo Lopez, 45, who coaches players 16 to 18 in Mayabeque Province, outside Havana. “All of our development is local. The U.S. is the closest country, but we haven’t been able to benefit from its development. We would like to.”“Our main problem is no chance to compete internationally,” said Ariel Curbalo Lopez, 45, who coaches players 16 to 18 in Mayabeque Province, outside Havana. “All of our development is local. The U.S. is the closest country, but we haven’t been able to benefit from its development. We would like to.”
Antonio Garces Segura, the vice president of Cuba’s soccer federation, declined to speak without permission from the sports ministry. Two years ago, in an interview with The New York Times, he said: “Everyone who works also has to have dreams. We can dream that one day we could get to the World Cup, and why not win it?”Antonio Garces Segura, the vice president of Cuba’s soccer federation, declined to speak without permission from the sports ministry. Two years ago, in an interview with The New York Times, he said: “Everyone who works also has to have dreams. We can dream that one day we could get to the World Cup, and why not win it?”
But discussing improved relations with the United States appeared too risky now for Garces Segura, something that might have political consequences.But discussing improved relations with the United States appeared too risky now for Garces Segura, something that might have political consequences.
“That is a question for Raul,” he said with a smile, a reference to Raúl Castro, Fidel Castro’s brother and successor as Cuba’s president. “That is a question for Raúl,” he said with a smile, a reference to Raúl Castro, Fidel Castro’s brother and successor as Cuba’s president.
Others spoke freely. Curbalo Lopez, the coach, made a bold prediction that might be more of a fever dream.Others spoke freely. Curbalo Lopez, the coach, made a bold prediction that might be more of a fever dream.
“Two or three years is all it’s going to take for soccer to become the most important sport in Cuba,” he said. “On every street, kids are playing.”“Two or three years is all it’s going to take for soccer to become the most important sport in Cuba,” he said. “On every street, kids are playing.”
Many disagree. Soccer is a nice game, but it is too easily mastered to consume a nation’s attention as baseball does, said Roel Santos, 26, a center fielder with the Granma Alazanes of the Cuban league and a newcomer to the national team.Many disagree. Soccer is a nice game, but it is too easily mastered to consume a nation’s attention as baseball does, said Roel Santos, 26, a center fielder with the Granma Alazanes of the Cuban league and a newcomer to the national team.
“Baseball is more difficult to make action,” Santos said. “I prefer the difficult thing.”“Baseball is more difficult to make action,” Santos said. “I prefer the difficult thing.”
And while David Beckham has struggled to find a stadium site in his attempt to bring an M.L.S. team to Miami, he is not likely to sign a deal anytime soon in Havana, either.And while David Beckham has struggled to find a stadium site in his attempt to bring an M.L.S. team to Miami, he is not likely to sign a deal anytime soon in Havana, either.
Seven Cubans have played in M.L.S., but the league has no plans to put a team in Havana, now or in the foreseeable future, Commissioner Don Garber said. The league’s priorities lay in the United States and Canada. Seven Cubans have played in M.L.S., but the league has no plans to put a team in Havana, now or in the foreseeable future, Commissioner Don Garber said. The league’s priorities lie in the United States and Canada.
“Cuba really is a great mystery to the soccer world,” Garber said in a telephone interview. “We haven’t really been able to evaluate their youth development at all. They don’t have the infrastructure to support elite soccer development yet.”“Cuba really is a great mystery to the soccer world,” Garber said in a telephone interview. “We haven’t really been able to evaluate their youth development at all. They don’t have the infrastructure to support elite soccer development yet.”
Even the vocabulary of soccer does not always easily roll off Cuban tongues. Gerardo Verdecia Acosta, 50, a taxi driver, has come to appreciate the sport but could not immediately summon the name of his favorite player.Even the vocabulary of soccer does not always easily roll off Cuban tongues. Gerardo Verdecia Acosta, 50, a taxi driver, has come to appreciate the sport but could not immediately summon the name of his favorite player.
“The guy from Argentina I like,” Verdecia Acosta said.“The guy from Argentina I like,” Verdecia Acosta said.
“Messi?”“Messi?”
“Messi!”“Messi!”
His son had another favorite, Verdecia Acosta said.His son had another favorite, Verdecia Acosta said.
“Tell me someone from Brazil,” he said.“Tell me someone from Brazil,” he said.
“Neymar?”“Neymar?”
“Yes, Neymar!”“Yes, Neymar!”
Clearly, though, soccer’s popularity in Cuba has inflated in the last five or six years. Youth soccer has spread from schools and streets to organized teams. The World Cup was shown on television in 2010 from South Africa and again in 2014 from Brazil. League matches are televised from Spain, Brazil, England, Germany and Italy. Jerseys of international stars have become widely available. The Barcelona jersey of Messi and the Real Madrid jersey of Cristiano Ronaldo seem as popular in Cuba as a Michael Jordan jersey once was in the United States. Clearly, though, soccer’s popularity in Cuba has increased in the last five or six years. Youth soccer has spread from schools and streets to organized teams. The World Cup was shown on television in 2010 from South Africa and again in 2014 from Brazil. League matches are televised from Spain, Brazil, England, Germany and Italy. Jerseys of international stars have become widely available. The Barcelona jersey of Messi and the Real Madrid jersey of Cristiano Ronaldo seem as popular in Cuba as a Michael Jordan jersey once was in the United States.
“That’s my dream, to play in the World Cup against Argentina or Brazil,” Marlon Garcia Medaro, 14, said as he kicked a ball with a friend in the median of Presidents Avenue in Havana.“That’s my dream, to play in the World Cup against Argentina or Brazil,” Marlon Garcia Medaro, 14, said as he kicked a ball with a friend in the median of Presidents Avenue in Havana.
That is the challenge for Cubans — not only to dress like the world’s great players but to develop some of their own. That is the challenge for Cubans — not only to dress like the world’s great players but also to develop some of their own.
“There’s no reason why in a country of 11 million people that has had a reputation for producing world-class athletes, Cuba can’t be a producer of world-class soccer players,” Garber said.“There’s no reason why in a country of 11 million people that has had a reputation for producing world-class athletes, Cuba can’t be a producer of world-class soccer players,” Garber said.