♪♪♪
[CHARLES ROTRAMEL:] THEY MIGHT HAVE 
COME HERE,
TO THE UNITED STATES, 
BECAUSE THEY WERE REFUGEES.  
BUT, THEY'RE ASKED WHERE THEY'RE FROM,
THEY SAY, "I'M FROM HOUSTON." 
THEY THINK OF THEMSELVES AS
AMERICAN KIDS. 
♪♪♪
THEY SEE THEMSELVES AS SOCCER PLAYERS.
THAT IS THEIR PRIMARY IDENTITY.
THAT'S WHO THEY ARE.
♪♪♪
TO ACHIEVE A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 
WOULD BE TO ANNOUNCE,
TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, 
THAT THIS GROUP OF KIDS IS GREAT. 
IT'S NOT JUST THAT THEY'RE NOT BAD.
THEY'RE GREAT.
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
I'VE WORKED IN YOUTH SERVICES
FOR 30 YEARS, MY WHOLE CAREER. 
♪♪♪
SOCCER IS THE SINGLE BEST
INTERVENTION TOOL THAT I HAVE EVER HAD.
♪♪♪
- [ILUTA SHABANI:] REVISION, 
I HEARD FROM A FRIEND-
HE TOLD ME THAT THERE'S THIS PLACE 
THAT WE PLAY SOCCER. 
SO I WAS LIKE, "NEXT TIME WHEN YOU GO,
JUST LET ME KNOW SO I
CAN COME WITH YOU."
- [CHARLES:] WE WERE EXPLORING THE NEED,
LIKE WHAT,  
WHAT DOES THIS COMMUNITY NEED?
WE BEGAN BY JUST HAVING
PICKUP GAMES ON THE SOCCER FIELD
ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON. 
AND SO THE KIDS THAT SHOWED UP, 
MANY OF WHOM CAME HERE FROM AFRICA
FOUR OR LESS YEARS AGO,
HAD NEVER PLAYED ON AN ORGANIZED TEAM. 
♪♪♪
ONE TIME WE SAID,
"NEXT WEEK WE'LL GET PIZZA."
AND DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF KIDS CAME. 
LIKE, IT WAS OBVIOUS WHEN THEY WERE EATING
THEY HAD NOT EATEN SINCE PROBABLY
SCHOOL GOT OUT ON FRIDAY. 
♪♪♪
I HAD NO INTENTION AT ALL
OF FORMING A TEAM.
♪♪♪
BUT THAT WAS WHEN THE LIGHTBULB
WENT OFF: 
THERE'S MORE HERE. 
♪♪♪
- MY NAME IS FRANCOIS ELIZE,
AND I'M THE CAPTAIN OF THIS TEAM. 
- I'M JEFRY VALERA. I'M A FORWARD. 
- AMANI KWIZERA. PEOPLE CALL ME "FUFU."
- MWAMBA MLONDANI.
- DAVID TCHOMBA.
- MY NAME IS ILUTA SHABANI, 
AND I PLAY RIGHT WING
FOR REVISION FC. 
♪♪♪
[FRANCOIS:] I LEFT CONGO WHEN I WAS 
TWO YEARS OLD. 
THEN AFTER FIVE YEARS, 
WE WENT TO A REFUGEE CAMP
IN KAKUMA. IT'S CALLED 
KAKUMA REFUGEE CAMP.
AND WE STAYED THERE FOR
SEVEN TO EIGHT YEARS. 
LIFE IN A REFUGEE CAMP IS TOUGH.
- [FUFU:] EVERYBODY IN UGANDA AND CONGO
WAS LIKE, "OH MY GOD, I WISH I CAN
GO TO THE UNITED STATES." 
SO, WHEN MY MOM PASSED THE INTERVIEW, 
IT'S, LIKE, BIG NEWS FOR US
AS A FAMILY. 
- [MWAMBA:] WHEN YOU'RE, LIKE, IN A 
FOURTH-WORLD COUNTRY, YOU NEVER THINK OF 
UNITED STATES BEING LIKE THIS.
UNITED STATES BEING LIKE THIS.
I THOUGHT WHEN I COME OVER HERE
I'MMA BE SAFE,
NO VIOLENCE, EVERYTHING GOOD. 
BUT WHEN YOU COME OVER HERE, 
IT'S THE SAME THING.
IT'S THE SAME THING.
- [ILUTA:] AT FIRST, I THOUGHT WHEN, LIKE,
- [ILUTA:] AT FIRST, I THOUGHT WHEN, LIKE,
IF WE GET OVER HERE, WE GOING TO, LIKE,
HAVE OUR OWN HOUSE, YOU KNOW,
HAVE MY CAR. 
BUT, UM, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. 
♪♪♪
WELCOME HOME. 
I WAS BORN IN TANZANIA,
NYARUGUSU REFUGEE CAMP. 
NYARUGUSU REFUGEE CAMP. 
MY MOM RAN AWAY FROM WAR, 
MY MOM RAN AWAY FROM WAR, 
FROM CONGO. 
♪♪♪
SHE WENT TO TANZANIA CUZ SHE
HAD TO LEAVE A PLACE THAT
THERE'S WAR. 
THERE'S WAR. 
- [CHARLES:] ILUTA IS THE LIFE OF THE PARTY. 
[VOICE SHAKING] HE COMES FROM 
THE MOST DIFFICULT 
CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANY OF THE YOUNG MEN. 
[ILUTA:] I USED TO LIVE WITH MY MOM, 
MY GRANDMOTHER, MY UNCLES. 
WE USED TO LIVE AT THE SAME PLACE. 
IT WAS, LIKE, 12 OF THEM,
IT WAS, LIKE, 12 OF THEM,
INCLUDING ME. 
INCLUDING ME. 
I USED TO CRY A LOT. USED TO TELL MY MOM,
"WHY DIDN'T YOU FIND NO FOOD?" 
AND SHE WAS LIKE, 
"WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO BUY, 
SO YOU HAVE TO WAIT."
SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO
JUST DRINK WATER FOR THE WHOLE DAY
AND ALL THAT STUFF. 
- [CHARLES:] THEY JUST DON'T MAKE 
ENOUGH MONEY. 
THERE'S, THERE'S NO WAY THAT SHE CAN
MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY,
AND YET ILUTA IS, IS JUST FULL OF JOY
ALL THE TIME, CONSTANTLY,
AND IT'S INFECTIOUS. EVERYBODY FEELS IT. 
- [FRANCOIS:] WHAT I'M REALLY PROUD OF HIM
IS THAT HE'S LIKE THE FATHER IN THE FAMILY. 
TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS IS NOT AN 
EASY JOB FOR A PARENT WHO, WHO IS DISABLED.  
HE'S THERE TO HELP HER OUT. 
♪♪♪
- [ILUTA:] I STARTED PLAYING SOCCER
WHEN I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD. 
I USED TO PLAY IN AFRICA. 
♪♪♪
AND WHENEVER I'M IN THE SOCCER FIELD,
I FEEL LIKE I'M SOMEWHERE–
I HAVE PEACE WHEN I'M IN THE SOCCER FIELD. 
- [CHARLES:] WHAT HE MANAGES TO OVERCOME 
ON A DAILY BASIS, AND YET TO MEET THE WORLD 
WITH THAT LEVEL OF JOY IS–
IT'S UNPRECEDENTED. 
I'VE NEVER SEEN A KID LIKE THAT BEFORE. 
HE'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. 
♪♪♪
THE LEVEL OF ANXIETY THAT 
THESE KIDS AND THEIR PARENTS 
AND THEIR FAMILIES
JUST CARRY AROUND ON A REGULAR BASIS IS
INTENSE. IT'S OVERWHELMING. AND I THINK THAT'S
PART OF WHAT THE SUCCESS 
ON THE FIELD HAS BEEN–
THEY NEED A RELEASE.
THEY NEED A RELEASE.
- [ILUTA:] SOMETIMES WHEN I'M STRESSED,
THINK ABOUT, LIKE, HOW WE'RE GONNA DEAL WITH
EATING, BILLS, HELPING MY MOM.
EATING, BILLS, HELPING MY MOM.
EVERY TIME I GET IN THE SOCCER FIELD,
I BE HAPPY, LIKE I FORGOT EVERYTHING.
I BE HAPPY, LIKE I FORGOT EVERYTHING.
- [FUFU:] IT'S VERY EASY TO GET BAND TOGETHER 
CUZ WE ALL KNOW THE STRUGGLES, YOU KNOW.
CUZ WE ALL KNOW THE STRUGGLES, YOU KNOW.
- [FRANCOIS:] "UMOJA NI NGUVU" IS UNITY.
- [FRANCOIS:] "UMOJA NI NGUVU" IS UNITY.
US STAYING TOGETHER AS A TEAM, 
DOING EVERYTHING AS A TEAM,
DOING EVERYTHING AS A TEAM,
THAT'S WHAT MAKES US EVEN MORE STRONG. 
[ILUTA:] REVISION IS GONNA BE CALLED
FC TEXAS, YOU KNOW,
CUZ WE'RE GONNA WIN THE STATE CUP. 
♪♪♪
- [CHARLES:] THE STATE CUP IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL
OF U.S. YOUTH SOCCER.
THIS SEASON WE HAD THE GOAL,
TO EARN A BERTH IN THE STATE CUP.
TO EARN A BERTH IN THE STATE CUP.
♪♪♪
BUT WE WEREN'T SURE IF
WE WERE GOING TO BE CAPABLE BECAUSE,
THERE WERE SOME TEAMS
THAT WERE VERY STRONG.
THAT WERE VERY STRONG.
- [ILUTA:] YOU KNOW HOW
BARCELONA-REAL MADRID IS?
THAT'S HOW IT WAS.
♪♪♪
AND COACH STARTED TELLING US,
KEEP PUSHING, LIKE, 
GIVE IT EVERYTHING YOU GOT
SO WE CAN WIN THIS.
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
[DAVID:] WHEN WE'RE STEPPING IN THE FIELD, 
WE HAD A LOT OF RACISM.
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
- [JEFRY:] YOU CAN TALK WITH THE BALL.
THEY TOLD ME: "GO BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAY HERE." 
I JUST PLAY. IN TWO MINUTES, 
I SCORE TWO GOALS. 
I WAS LIKE–
THEY DON'T SAY ANY MORE. 
THEY DON'T SAY ANY MORE. 
- [DAVID:] HANDSHAKE IS SOMETHING LIKE, 
EVERYBODY DO TO SHOW RESPECT.
AT THE END OF ONE OF THE GAMES,
AT THE END OF ONE OF THE GAMES,
WE WANTED TO SHOW RESPECT.
AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO
SHAKE HANDS WITH THEM. 
BUT THE PARENTS, OH, LIKE AFTER THE GAME,
THEY WAS TALKING MESS.
THEY WERE SAYING, "FUCK THEM KIDS."
- [ILUTA:] SOMETIMES THEY CALL YOU
"MONKEY," YOU KNOW. 
"MONKEY, MONKEY!"
AND THEY SAY "DON'T TOUCH MY KID,"
I'M LIKE–IT'S, IT'S A GAME. 
- [DAVID:] FRANCOIS IS THE ONE THAT
WAS TELLING THEM,
LIKE: "THEY'RE JUST KIDS. 
THEY'RE JUST HERE TO HAVE FUN. 
JUST THE SAME WAY 
JUST THE SAME WAY 
YOUR KIDS WANNA HAVE FUN." 
- [CHARLES:] I TOOK THE GUYS 
AND TOOK THEM WAY OFF, 
WAY OFF THE FIELD.
I SAT THEM DOWN, AND I SAID THAT,
"I'M SORRY THAT, THAT
YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT. 
BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T 
PROTECT YOU FROM THAT. I WISH I COULD, 
BUT THIS IS AMERICA, AND RACISM IS REAL."
- [ILUTA:] WE NOT THERE FOR FIGHTING, OR HATING.
WE THERE FOR, LIKE, ONE GOAL: WIN.
THAT'S ALL WE WANT.
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
[CHEERING]
♪♪♪
- [CHARLES:] WE HAVE A GROUP CHAT, 
WHICH IS BUBBLING ALL THE TIME.
♪♪♪
- [ILUTA:] COACH TEXTING THE GROUP,
TELLING YOU, LIKE,
"GUYS, I KNOW WE'RE PLAYING A STRONG TEAM TOMORROW, 
BUT I BELIEVE IN YOU.
I BELIEVE YOU CAN DO THIS."
AND I WAS LIKE, "YES, COACH,
I KNOW WE CAN DO THIS." 
[FRANCOIS:] IT MEANS A LOT TO US, FOR HIM TO 
BELIEVE IN US CUZ WE'VE COME A LONG WAY. 
NOBODY HAS EVER REALLY TOLD US THAT. 
♪♪♪
[TOGETHER:] HEY, HEY, AHH!
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
[CHEERING]
[CHEERING]
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
[CHEERING]
♪♪♪
WHAT'S STANDING BETWEEN US 
AND THE STATE CUP
IS THIS GAME.
♪♪♪
SO LET'S FOCUS ON THIS GAME. 
PUT EVERYTHING ELSE OUTTA YOUR MIND.
WE CAN DO THIS. I BELIEVE.
NOW IS THE TIME.
REVISION ON THREE, REVISION ON THREE! 
REVISION ON THREE, REVISION ON THREE! 
[TOGETHER:] ONE, TWO, THREE REVISION!
- [CHARLES:] I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO HAVE 
A REMINDER THAT 
GREATNESS DOESN'T NECESSARILY 
CORRELATE WITH WHERE YOU'RE FROM
OR HOW YOU GREW UP, 
OR HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE. 
GREATNESS CAN RISE FROM THE GRASSROOTS,
FROM THE GROUND UP AND BE 
MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN YOU EVER IMAGINED. 
♪♪♪
[CHEERING]
"WE DID IT!"
[CHEERING AND CHANTING]
[CHEERING AND CHANTING]
- [OFFSCREEN:] YOUR 2019, 19U BOYS
STATE FINALS, STATE CUP CHAMPIONS
TEAM REVISION!
[APPLAUDING]
[APPLAUDING]
- [CHARLES:] THAT EXPERIENCE 
OF COMING TO THE UNITED STATES 
THROUGH AN APPLICATION 
TO THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE AS A REFUGEE,
THAT IS NOT THE SALIENT IDENTITY
THAT THEY HAVE TODAY. 
THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL SOCCER PLAYERS.
THEY ARE COLLEGE STUDENTS,
OR FUTURE COLLEGE STUDENTS.
THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL YOUNG ADULTS.
♪♪♪
- [JEFRY:] WHEN I COME HERE, 
THERE WAS NO THINKING
THAT I'M A CHAMPION, BUT
NOW I'M A STATE CHAMPION. 
♪♪♪
- [ILUTA:] I'M REALLY, REALLY PROUD, CUZ
WHEN YOU WIN STATE, LIKE, YOU'RE
ON THE NEXT LEVEL, MAN.
- [FRANCOIS:] IT FEELS–
IT'S THE BEST FEELING EVER.
THE AMERICAN DREAM. 
[CHANTING]
- [ILUTA:] I THINK THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
WE COMING HARD.
I BELIEVE, THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.
♪♪♪
- [ALPHONSO DAVIES:] UNDERCOVER.
♪♪♪
WHAT THE HELL?
ALPHONSO!
WHAT THE–
OHHH!
WHAT THE HELL?!
HEY!
AT FC BEYERN CORENTIN,
MY TEAMMATES, AND I 
WERE ALL BORN IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
I WAS BORN IN GHANA AND RAISED IN CANADA.
CORENTIN WAS BORN AND RAISED IN FRANCE.
WE PLAY IN GERMANY. 
DO YOU GUYS KNOW THE, 
THE NUTMEG CHALLENGE, THE PANNA?
[TOGETHER:] YEAH!
YOU KNOW, THE CIRCLE, ONE-ON-ONE? 
TRY TO PANNA YOUR FRIEND?
[TOGETHER:] YEAH.
OKAY. 
[ALPHONSO DAVIES:] WE COME FROM ALL OVER,
SPEAKING DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, 
CELEBRATING DIFFERENT TRADITIONS.
BUT ABOVE ALL, WE ARE CITIZENS OF FUTBOL.
WE SPEAK FUTBOL. WE VALUE FUTBOL.
IT MAKES YOU TEAMMATES
WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD.
TO SEE THESE GUYS
IN AMERICA PLAYING TOGETHER,
SO FAR FROM HOME,
AND NOW CALLING HOUSTON HOME 
BECAUSE OF THIS FAMILY–
IT’S THE BEAUTIFUL GAME FOR A REASON. 
- [ALPHONSO:] AND I'M OUT HERE, MY MAN.
- [ILUTA:] YEAHHH, ALPHONSO.
- [ALPHONSO:] INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
- [ILUTA:] MY NAME IS ILUTA SHABANI
AND I PLAY FOR REVISION FC.
I'M HAPPY TO MEET HIM, MAN. 
- [ALPHONSO:] AND WHERE'RE YOU FROM?
- [ILUTA:] I LIVE IN HOUSTON.
- [ALPHONSO:] YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING.
- [ILUTA:] YEAH.
IMMA NEED THAT VIDEO. 
