Book Review: Fútbol in the Park: Immigrants, Soccer, and the Creation of Social Ties.

Abstract

The book is an ethnography about a group of male immigrants who play recreational soccer at the Los Angeles’ Mar Vista Park, a park that over time has become gentrified. In this contentious public space, these immigrant men gain a sense of belonging despite being seen as a threat among the local community members. In addition, they also create a dynamic social support network amongst the players. Through 10 years of ethnographic observations, Trouille delves profoundly into the meanings of the interplay of their social realities beyond the park, such as undocumented migration, their love for the sport, and an anti-immigrant context in the US.