World's Most Popular Sport Coming To Glendale With Copa America Centenario Games

Published: Friday, June 3, 2016 - 8:30am
Updated: Friday, June 3, 2016 - 2:23pm
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Matthew Casey/KJZZ
University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
(Photo by Matthew Casey - KJZZ)
Jeff Golner is the Copa America's venue director for Phoenix and Glendale.
(Photo by Matthew Casey - KJZZ)
Carlos Velasco was born in Ecuador, founded a consulting firm in Phoenix and will attend the game against Peru with the Ecuadorian consulate.
(Photo by Matthew Casey - KJZZ)
Jose D. Ramirez (far right) stands with his parents and brother inside El Chullo, a Peruvian restaurant they own and operate.
(Photo by Matthew Casey - KJZZ)
Jose D. Ramirez makes the dish, Lomo Saltado, at his family's Peruvian restaurant, El Chullo.

The Western Hemisphere’s largest men’s soccer tournament kicks off Friday with the United States taking on Colombia in California. Glendale, Arizona is one of 10 U.S. cities hosting Copa America Centenario games for the first time in the tournament’s 100-year history.

From the NBA to the arena football league, there’s no shortage of sports in the Valley. But local organizers like Jeff Golner, Copa America’s venue director for Phoenix and Glendale, hope metro Phoenix will soon be seen as a prime spot for the world’s most popular sport.

“Does the novice or casual soccer fan understand the importance of this tournament? It might be fair to say, not necessarily,” Golner said. “Certainly, those south of here — Mexico, Central America and South America — this is big time soccer.”
 
Ecuador will square off against Peru on Wednesday at University of Phoenix Stadium, and the tournament’s third place match will be on June 25. But the Valley’s marquee matchup will be this Sunday, June 5, when the Mexican national team goes up against the ninth-ranked team in the world, Uruguay.
 
“There’s a gentleman named Chicharito from Mexico,” Golner said. “What’s he going to do this summer? He’s playing in Copa. What’s he not doing this summer? He’s not playing for his Mexico national team in the Olympics.”

The Mexican team has played in Glendale before. And Golner said between local fans and those traveling north, officials do expect a sellout.
 
How many tickets get sold for Ecuador vs. Peru remains to be seen. World rankings show Peru will be a major underdog.
 
But current rankings don’t reflect history, and there’s plenty of it between the two South American countries that share a border.

Carlos Velasco was born in Ecuador, moved to Los Angeles and settled in Phoenix where he founded a consulting firm. He’ll be at the match with the Ecuadorian consulate.
 
“Ecuador and Peru have had wars for land,” Velasco said. “Ever since I was a child, I always remembered that we had this idea that Peruvian people were just not our friends because we were at war with them. So it was a sense of patriotism.”

The relationship between the countries has improved greatly, and Velasco said Peruvian immigrants now make huge economic contributions in Ecuador. A once deadly rivalry has transformed into something more civil — soccer.

“There’s always a little additional competition when it comes to winning, and beating Peru,” Velasco said.

The Phoenix restaurant El Chullo serves authentic Peruvian cuisine. And Jose D. Ramirez is part of the family that owns and operates it. He’s a jack of all trades, sometimes bartending, sometimes cooking.
 
"God asked a Peruvian, 'What do you want, great food or good soccer?' And since then, we’ve been eating really well,” Ramirez said in Spanish.
 
The phrase pokes fun at the fortunes of Peru’s soccer team. They may struggle, but Peruvian cuisine has always been top notch. Still, Ramirez can’t wait for the match against Ecuador. And El Chullo will have a bus to take fans and their musical instruments from the restaurant to the game.

“So we’re going to play music at the stadium,” Ramirez said. “Hope we win. We’re going to pray. We’re going to enjoy the game.”
 
When Ramirez was a kid, his father took him to see the national team play in Peru. He cherishes those memories, and hopes to bring more home from Glendale on Wednesday.

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