Lalo Garcia, a lifelong soccer fan who has cherished the sport since his childhood in Mexico, has set a new goal for himself this World Cup. At 73 years old, the Mission Hills artist said, “I intend to watch every single game this year.”
Garcia is currently on track, spending hours glued to the TV watching between four and six games each day. With the tournament halfway through, he has not missed any of the more than 50 matches so far. He hopes to watch a total of 104 games spread over 39 days, with the competition concluding on July 19.
While he loves the sport and played it in college, don’t expect to see him at any of the eight soccer games hosted at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Nor will he be at any of the local watch parties taking place in the San Fernando Valley, including those next door to him in the City of San Fernando.
“I’m not a fan of big crowds or big stadiums,” Garcia said. “I’m old,” he quipped with a laugh, adding that he “would rather follow the games on TV, have a drink and some food and enjoy the game peacefully.” He also believes there is no need for much conversation about soccer after the final play. “I don’t get involved in the post-game commentary, analysis or the political side of the sport, not even on social media.” Besides, he pointed out, large crowds and heavy traffic can diminish the enjoyment of the games and the exorbitant prices for tickets is another huge deterrent.
Throughout his life, he has only occasionally visited stadiums for soccer. “I attended a few soccer games when I was younger, when I had more energy to spend four to five hours navigating traffic, searching for parking and then finally finding my seat to enjoy the matches.”
For the past 15 years, Garcia has been watching soccer primarily on Spanish-language television, accompanied by a few close friends and family members. The reserved seats on his living room couch for the “regulars” are especially occupied right now during the World Cup.
“It’s a hobby,” he said. While Garcia earns his living as a celebrated visual artist, at this stage of his life, he is in charge of his own time. He started this pursuit after retiring from over 20 years of dancing. Garcia is the founder of Grupo Folklórico Fiesta Mexicana, a dance company that toured both the U.S. and Mexico, including a tour with Linda Ronstadt.
Garcia describes his love of soccer as rooted in his childhood, growing up in a small village in the Mexican state of Michoacan. There, like many children, he could play a sport that only needs a ball and open space, no need for expensive gear or specialized facilities. “You grow up playing fútbol with neighbors in open spaces,” he said. “We didn’t have a soccer field.”
His family immigrated to the United States in 1965 and he eventually joined the soccer team at LA Valley College. “I was one of 10 kids who created the first team at Valley,” Garcia recalled, adding that the sport was not popular in the States back then. With the Valley College soccer team, he played against UCLA and CSUN, back when the latter was known as San Fernando Valley State College.
His connection to his home country led him to always support the Mexican National Soccer Team in every World Cup they qualified for. “I love how we Mexicans celebrate soccer and the World Cup,” he said. “We are filled with joy, always cheering for our team, regardless of whether they win or lose. It’s a true expression of cultural pride. Mexicans throw huge celebrations for their team’s victories, as seen in Mexico City and across the country.”
That vibrant Mexican spirit is also evident in the U.S. Thousands of Mexicans gather for watch parties throughout LA whenever the World Cup features Mexico. One recent gathering at a public park in Koreatown drew over 10,000 attendees. Fans wore the official jerseys of the Mexican team, which this year highlight national unity, pre-Hispanic heritage and Aztec-inspired typography, as Mexico is a co-host for the 2026 World Cup.
“My [now-adult] daughters who are U.S.-born wear both Mexican and U.S. jerseys here at home when we watch the teams play,” said Garcia, “They grew up playing soccer.”
Like his daughters, he supports the U.S. team during World Cup matches. “I love my U.S. team, too,” he added.
Editor Diana Martinez contributed to this article.