MEXICO CITY (AP) 鈥� The chain that hung from Santiago Garc铆a鈥檚 neck carried no crosses or saint medals, yet it felt sacred nonetheless.
When Garc铆a鈥檚 grandmother fell sick years ago and he visited her in intensive care, the Argentine took off his beloved necklace and placed it around her neck.
鈥淏oca will save you,鈥� Garc铆a murmured to his grandmother. 鈥淎nd it did. So now it鈥檚 hers.鈥�
Garc铆a鈥檚 faith in his club mirrors that of millions across Latin America as the region prepares for the 2026 . From to , devotion to the game often spills into everyday life, inspiring rituals and beliefs tied to the sport.
鈥淭here has been an emotional connection between the public and their soccer teams for a long time,鈥� said Mexican analyst Erick Fern谩ndez. 鈥淚t fosters identity and bonds that make us feel part of a sporting process that represents us.鈥�
In Argentina, the home country of , sports passion is often inherited within families and loyalty to clubs strengthens over time. himself 鈥� born in Argentina and lifelong supporter of 鈥� said he agreed with those describing soccer as the world’s most beautiful game.
Garc铆a鈥檚 love for Boca Juniors came from his father. He said his mother used to support another team, but after the couple met, she became a Boca fan too.
鈥淵ou usually support your mother鈥檚 or father鈥檚 club,鈥� Garc铆a said. 鈥淪occer is the backbone of it all, but you develop a sense of belonging to a team and carry it with you everywhere.鈥�
He may have let go of his Boca necklace and the energy he believed it carried, but the club鈥檚 imprint was already etched into his skin.
At age 17, Garc铆a tattooed a phrase from the club鈥檚 anthem on his torso. Fourteen years later, those words remain as meaningful as they were when the ink was fresh.
鈥淚t belongs to a song that is like a chant of war for us,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like saying: 鈥楴o matter the storm, no matter what happens, we will always be there for you.鈥欌��
The power of belonging
Pope Francis once told a crowd that soccer is a team sport whose beauty comes from its collective spirit.
Among fans, too, passion is nurtured through a sense of community. The singing of anthems, tears shed after victories or defeats, and the embrace of strangers inside a stadium are experiences that can mirror forms of collective devotion.
鈥淓ach person can support a team, but the sense of togetherness that generates 鈥榗ommunitas鈥� 鈥� a word associated with religion 鈥� is only possible when people gather,鈥� said Argentine anthropologist Elo铆sa Mart铆n.
Both negative and positive reactions can emerge from that sense of collective identity. A fan who feels a member of his sporting community has been attacked by a rival may react violently in ways he otherwise never would. But the same dynamic can strengthen solidarity, leading fans to help strangers because they support the same club.
鈥淪occer creates a community even for those who lack one,鈥� Mart铆n said.
On a recent night, among a sea of fans heading towards Maracan茫 stadium in Rio de Janeiro was Adilvania Santos. Dressed in the maroon and green colors of Fluminense, the 27-year-old said that supporting the club had helped her through a difficult time in her life.
鈥淚 get emotional talking about Fluminense,鈥� said Santos, who described the passion for her club as the most important aspect of her life, apart from her family. 鈥淪ome people come together to go to church. For us, accompanying Fluminense is also sacred.鈥�
Santos tries to attend every game despite living nearly 100 kilometers (about 60 miles) from Rio. When she follows matches from home, she stays alone in her bedroom to avoid interruptions from family members who may not support her team.
鈥淪occer deeply moves Brazilians because it creates a sense of belonging, identity and hope,鈥� said Jeferson Mengali, a Catholic priest in the Bragan莽a Paulista diocese and a lifelong fan of Corinthians. 鈥淧eople suffer, work hard and face difficulties, and soccer becomes a space for collective joy.鈥�
Rituals for victory
Mengali supported Corinthians as a chaplain for years. He celebrated Masses with the team and was present during training sessions and matches.
鈥淚 have always liked praying before important games,鈥� he said. 鈥淎sking more for serenity than victory.鈥�
While not all soccer fans pray, many cling to rituals they believe can influence the outcome of a game. In Argentina these practices are known as 鈥渃谩balas.鈥� According to Mart铆n, they became widespread during the 1990s.
C谩balas vary widely. Fans may drink from the same cup, sit in the exact same spot or wear the same underwear during every match. Others insist on watching games with certain people, while some avoid watching altogether after concluding they bring bad luck to their team.
Rituals are repeated if the team wins and abandoned if it loses. For some supporters, avoiding a match can even feel like a sacrifice made in hopes of securing victory.
At Garc铆a鈥檚 home, his father sits in a specific chair whenever Boca is playing well. If the rival team scores, he changes seats. His mother cleans the house instead of watching the game, stopping every so often to ask about the score.
Garc铆a鈥檚 current c谩bala includes wearing the same jersey throughout the season and carrying a small image of everywhere he goes.
鈥淎fter he died, he was rapidly by the people,鈥� Garc铆a said. 鈥淗e became a bigger than sports.鈥�
Saints of the stadium
Argentines rarely call him Maradona. He鈥檚 simply 鈥淓l Diego,鈥� as one would refer to a family member or an old friend from the neighborhood.
鈥淢aradona is the player, while 鈥楨l Diego鈥� is the one people turn to like a family member when they need help,鈥� Mart铆n said. 鈥淪acredness only works when there鈥檚 a community behind it.鈥�
Legends like 鈥淓l Diego鈥� or Brazil鈥檚 are recognized across the world. But other soccer fans in Latin America revere personal idols of their own.
In Chile, H茅ctor Hermosilla keeps a black-and-white portrait of Colo Colo club founder David Arellano at his home.
鈥淗e founded Colo Colo in 1925 and before every match I always say goodbye to him and ask him to watch over us,鈥� Hermosilla said.
He still remembers attending his first match in 1986 and falling under the spell of the atmosphere inside the arena. From then on, he faithfully began to follow his team, traveling from Chile鈥檚 far north to Puerto Montt, considered the gateway to Patagonia.
To finance his trips, he and his wife typed out the iconic anthems of Colo Colo and sold photocopies to fans, earning him the nickname 鈥淣ano Fotocopia.鈥�
鈥淭here were around 20 songs and I would make photocopies and sell them for 100 pesos,鈥� he said.
Typewriters and photocopies became obsolete over time. Hermosilla now sells necklaces, bracelets and other accessories to finance the trips he now does with his wife and teenage son.
When in Chile, Hermosilla still attends matches every Sunday and performs a ritual he has followed since the 1980s. Beneath Arellano鈥檚 portrait, he asks for the club founder鈥檚 blessing, packs his products for sale and heads to a roast chicken restaurant where fans gather.
鈥淗e is like our God,鈥� Hermosilla said. 鈥淗e is the one who guides us.鈥�
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Batschke reported from Santiago, Chile, and Hughes from Rio de Janeiro.
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