{"id":67113,"date":"2025-08-01T17:09:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-02T00:09:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eltecolote.org\/content\/?p=67113"},"modified":"2025-08-14T15:41:45","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T22:41:45","slug":"el-farolito-sf-soccer-legacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eltecolote.org\/content\/en\/el-farolito-sf-soccer-legacy\/","title":{"rendered":"El Farolito isn\u2019t just an underdog. It\u2019s an immigrant-led soccer legacy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>During their final practice at Crocker Amazon Soccer Fields, the team behind El Farolito Soccer Club trained with fire. Players shouted instructions and sprinted across the field, fighting for every loose ball. The intensity was matched only by the camaraderie between them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The scene is a glimpse into what makes this team extraordinary: chemistry, confidence and community. On Saturday, August 2 at 5 p.m., El Farolito will face Hickory FC at the historic Kezar Stadium \u2014 once home to the San Francisco 49ers \u2014 as they fight to defend their NPSL title and cement their legacy in Bay Area sports history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Best known as a beloved family-run chain of Mexican taquer\u00edas, El Farolito began with Salvador \u201cDon Chava\u201d Lopez, who opened the first location at 24th and Mission Streets in 1983. Proven successful, there are <a href=\"https:\/\/elfarolitosf.com\/locations\/\">12 El Farolito taquer\u00edas<\/a> across the Bay Area.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-03.jpg?resize=600%2C399&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67106\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-03-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C399&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-03-scaled.jpg?resize=360%2C240&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 360w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-03-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-03-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1022&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-03-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1363&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-03-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C798&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-03-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C681&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-03-scaled.jpg?resize=1568%2C1043&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-03-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1331&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-03-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C266&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Head coach Santiago Lopez speaks to El Farolito SC during the team\u2019s final practice at Crocker Amazon Soccer Fields in San Francisco on July 31, 2025. \u201cThese players who\u2019ve been here one year, three years \u2014 they\u2019re already a part of El Farolito and they know the history,\u201d Lopez said. \u201cThere\u2019s something about this place. People come from far away, and they contribute in a very positive way. It\u2019s special.\u201d\u2028Photo: Pablo Unzueta for El Tecolote\/CatchLight Local<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>His son, Santiago Lopez, now the team\u2019s head coach, said Don Chava didn\u2019t know anyone when he first immigrated to San Francisco. Starting a soccer team was hard. But in 1985, he managed to gather a group of players, and by 1993, they\u2019d won the U.S. Open Cup, the nation\u2019s longest-running soccer tournament, open to both pro and amateur clubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, many of the team\u2019s newcomers have found what Don Chava once longed for but struggled to find: community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI found so much familiarity in this team when I first arrived in this country,\u201d said Kevin Ortega, a 22-year-old midfielder from Colombia. He moved to the Bay Area with his family nearly two years ago and commutes from San Leandro to attend practices. During the week, he works as a DoorDash driver and picks up gigs painting houses and buildings. \u201cIt\u2019s the professionalism in the team that makes me want to get better and improve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-13.jpg?resize=600%2C399&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67111\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-13-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C399&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-13-scaled.jpg?resize=360%2C240&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 360w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-13-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-13-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1022&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-13-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1363&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-13-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C798&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-13-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C681&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-13-scaled.jpg?resize=1568%2C1043&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-13-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1331&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-13-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C266&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kevin Ortega, 22, a midfielder for El Farolito SC, during the team\u2019s final practice at Crocker Amazon Soccer Fields in San Francisco on July 31, 2025. \u201cI found so much familiarity in this team when I first arrived in this country,\u201d said Ortega, who migrated from Colombia and now works as a DoorDash driver and house painter. \u201cIt\u2019s the professionalism in the team that makes me want to get better and improve.\u201d Photo: Pablo Unzueta for El Tecolote\/CatchLight Local<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For outsiders unfamiliar with Farolito\u2019s legacy, the odds of winning major silverware like the Open Cup might seem slim. The club\u2019s amateur status means no one gets paid. But that label can be misleading. The current roster includes former professional players from Honduras, Colombia, the Ivory Coast, Brazil, Mexico, El Salvador and the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most players also hold down full-time jobs: construction workers, delivery drivers, small business owners, contractors. What holds the team together is a shared passion, and a deep sense of unity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marco Da Silva, 45, is the assistant manager and a former Farolito player. He moved to the Bay Area from Brazil in 2005 and joined the squad the following year. He played until 2014 and has now been involved with the club for nearly 20 years. These days, he helps run Mama Mia Pizza with his family in Brisbane while helping guide Farolito into their second straight NPSL final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-01.jpg?resize=600%2C399&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67104\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-01-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C399&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-01-scaled.jpg?resize=360%2C240&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 360w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-01-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-01-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1022&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-01-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1363&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-01-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C798&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-01-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C681&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-01-scaled.jpg?resize=1568%2C1043&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-01-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1331&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-01-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C266&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Before their NPSL final, El Farolito SC players run through their last practice at Crocker Amazon Soccer Fields in San Francisco on July 31, 2025.\u2028Farolito, an amateur team made up of mostly immigrant workers and former professional players, will defend their National Premier Soccer League title on Saturday, Aug. 2. Photo: Pablo Unzueta for El Tecolote\/CatchLight Local<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think all of us Latinos demonstrate what we\u2019re capable of. Not just in our jobs, but in sports,\u201d said Da Silva. \u201cWe come from many different backgrounds, and this just demonstrates our valor as Latinos. We\u2019ve become more united.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last year, Farolito stunned the reserve squad of Major League Soccer\u2019s Portland Timbers in the Open Cup. They eventually fell to the Oakland Roots in the Third Round. This year, they reached the Third Round again \u2014 falling just short \u2014 but solidifying their reputation as a gritty, united team that can cause problems for anyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-11.jpg?resize=600%2C399&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67109\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-11-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C399&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-11-scaled.jpg?resize=360%2C240&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 360w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-11-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-11-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1022&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-11-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1363&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-11-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C798&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-11-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C681&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-11-scaled.jpg?resize=1568%2C1043&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-11-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1331&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-11-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C266&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">El Farolito SC trains with intensity during their last practice before the NPSL final, at Crocker Amazon Soccer Fields in San Francisco on July 31, 2025. The team, composed of immigrant workers and former pro players, will defend their title on Saturday, Aug. 2. Photo: Pablo Unzueta for El Tecolote\/CatchLight Local<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, they\u2019re preparing to pressure early against North Carolina\u2019s Hickory FC. Winning back-to-back titles would help ease the sting of those Open Cup heartbreaks and continue their rise in San Francisco sports history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Coach Lopez, this team is a reflection of the city itself: its immigrant roots and creative spark. The spotlight and success have raised the stakes, but also deepened his pride in what they\u2019ve built together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese players that have been here one year [or] three years, they\u2019re already a part of El Farolito and they know the history,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is something about this place. The people who come from far away, they come here, and they contribute in a very positive way. It\u2019s special.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-08.jpg?resize=600%2C399&#038;quality=89&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-67108\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-08-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C399&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-08-scaled.jpg?resize=360%2C240&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 360w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-08-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-08-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1022&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-08-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1363&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-08-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C798&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-08-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C681&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-08-scaled.jpg?resize=1568%2C1043&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-08-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1331&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eltecolote.org\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/07312025-ELFAROLITO-ET-PU-08-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C266&amp;quality=89&amp;ssl=1 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">El Farolito SC teammates embrace during their final practice at Crocker Amazon Soccer Fields in San Francisco on July 31, 2025.\u2028The amateur team, comprised largely of immigrant workers and former professionals, has carved out a reputation for upsetting higher-level clubs, including Major League Soccer teams. Their unity and community spirit continue to propel them forward. Photo: Pablo Unzueta for El Tecolote\/CatchLight Local<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>El Farolito\u2019s path to the championship isn\u2019t just about soccer. It\u2019s a story of immigrant grit and community power.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":88922,"featured_media":67112,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_featured_image_position":"large","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25374,25226,25071],"tags":[],"coauthors":[24151],"class_list":["post-67113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-culture","category-community","category-culture-en","entry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>El Farolito isn\u2019t just an underdog. It\u2019s an immigrant-led soccer legacy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"El Farolito\u2019s path to the championship isn\u2019t just about soccer. It\u2019s a story of immigrant grit and community power.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/eltecolote.org\/content\/en\/el-farolito-sf-soccer-legacy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"El Farolito isn\u2019t just an underdog. It\u2019s an immigrant-led soccer legacy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"El Farolito\u2019s path to the championship isn\u2019t just about soccer. 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