Snapshots: Football on the streets of Cuba

Never forget your roots. That's what I think when it comes to Cubans and football.

They love baseball. They play it on the streets, and for someone who is not used to seeing baseball being played on the streets, it’s amazing to see. 

But man, believe me. Baseball is not football and in Cuba, people know it.

If you pay enough attention, you’ll notice you’re surrounded by football on the entire island. And they are real fanatics of the game. In Trinidad, I had breakfast with a man called Carlos. We discussed Harry Kane’s transfer from Tottenham to Germany. As a die-hard Bayern Münich fan, he smiled and asked me: “how do you say hurricane in German? I need to learn this now, it’s a done deal.”

The two teams from the old colonial power are clearly the most popular though.

Have you ever heard about Cuban ultras? No, me neither. But many tell me of a big fight between Real Madrid and Barcelona fans last year in La Havana. Don’t try to tell them that they’re not as passionate as the born-and-bred local Madrid and Barça fans. 

Cubans are able to adapt to almost any situation, especially when it comes to talking about where you come from or your favourite football team. It’s one of the first questions they ask you, and you’re brought closer together instantly. In Trinidad, for example, there is a bar that serves imported Estrella Damm or Mahou, depending on whether you support Barcelona or Real Madrid.

On another occasion, a waiter in the countryside town of Viñales asked me where I came from. “Barcelona? Oh, nice.” He emerged shortly after with my meal, placing down specially engraved Real Madrid cutlery. A real Cuban Thug Life move. 

Even as a fan of Newell’s Old Boys, I encountered many Cubans who knew a thing or two about Ernesto ‘El Che’ Guevara and a certain Diego Maradona. I met a man called Alberto who showed me his Barça tattoo and his armband which bore the Argentine flag. He told me: “I’m more Catalan than you, despite being born in Vuelta Abajo!” We smiled and laughed and chanted the eternal "Muchaaaachoossss" chant together.

Baseball might be king, but football adds so much to its local flavour.

Naxto Torné is a producer and social media strategist. Find him on Instagram: @groundhopperbarcelona, or X: @groundhopperbcn.