Mexico's Improbable Pitches: Football from Volcano Craters to Underpasses

As Mexico co-hosts the 2026 World Cup, the nation's football passion explodes in the most unexpected places. Photographer Raquel Cunha spent three months capturing amateur fixtures on makeshift pitches—from highway underpasses to a volcano crater. In Monterrey, 14-year-old Humberto Guadalupe, nicknamed 'Messi,' and 12-year-old Eduardo Reyes defend their community's only field, surrounded by abandoned cars. These grassroots lineups may lack grandstands, but every match is a knockout of joy and dr...