Joga Bonito in the city that never sleeps - Salmen Ayadi in New York
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
It's a pleasure to have AGP family member Salmen Ayadi's first article on the Among Good People blog. Salmen hails from Tunisia but is currently based in Italy. He is a lifelong football enthusiast that is big on learning about football culture around the world. In this post, Salmen looks back on his recent trip to New York City, fulfilling a dream he's had for a long time; to fly to the US and experience life in the Big Apple himself. Enjoy the post, I hope it is the first of many from Salmen.
Amar
Joga Bonito in the city that never sleeps - Salmen Ayadi in New York.
Growing up, New York City was my dream destination to visit one day, like many people in my age, I watched Home Alone - Lost in New York movie every Christmas time, or perhaps if you are into mob films like me, “A Bronx Tale” was not just an ordinary film; it was an extravaganza and an education. The mob boss Sonny schooling the teenage Calogero Machiavelli’s wisdom in the “Availability” line and how the Yankees Legend Mickey Mantle don't care about you in the “Nobody Cares” line or the working-man and bus driver Lorenzo reminds his son Calogero for not wasting his talent in the line “The saddest thing in life, is wasted talent”. Lately, “SubwayTakes” and “Keep The Meter Running” by Kareem Rahma have become my favourite web series on Instagram, where unscripted opinions and raw life stories of New Yorkers are shared, whether inside the New York urban subway system or in the yellow cabs. All those cult films, scenes, and moments helped me build a soul tie with New York City, its streets, avenues, architecture, culture, people, and energy.
After years of hustling and patience, April 2nd, 2025, was the day I made this dream come true. I started my day early with two hours of tennis with my university mates in the morning, knowing that at 7:30 P.M., that evening, I would be crossing the Atlantic Ocean from Rome to New York on an 8-hour direct flight. I had mixed feelings of excitement and apprehension. I knew Customs and Border Protection officers would be waiting for my arrival to interrogate me about my background and the purpose of my trip to the United States. Days before my visit, I kept asking myself: Would immigration officers believe I was here in New York to document football culture, or would they cancel my visa and send me back to the next flight to Rome if they determined my story was not concrete and groundless?
As I anticipated, a CBP officer pulled me aside as soon as I walked out of the plane; I had my MUNDIAL magazine - the “ Boca Junior Issue” in one hand, a digital camera cross-dangling on my right side, my sling bag on my left, and my backpack. Politely, he asked for my passport and to follow him to the waiting room for an interview with questions about my background and the purpose of my coming to the United States. In the meantime, my passport got an entry stamp, and they took a picture of me. I was not nervous or anxious, but more relaxed and calm. Standing up behind the counter, I answered all his questions solidly, and then he told me to return to my seat and wait. A few minutes later, the officer called me: “Mr. Ayadi, here is your passport; welcome to the United States, and enjoy your trip to New York”.
Ahead of my trip, I had already reached out to every football collective in New York I know via Instagram: Chinatown Soccer Club, Bowery FC, and First Touch Football Club, with the hope of joining a kickabout session to play football in New York City with New Yorkers. It was a significant experience to tick it off, as this chance to be in the U.S. would not come daily for me. So in Manhattan, Queens, or Brooklyn, early morning or late night, shine or rain did not matter to me. I wanted to play football in Manhattan.
Gerhard Stochl is a multidisciplinary creative director and photographer with a background in skateboarding culture. After the Korea-Japan World Cup, he founded Chinatown Soccer Club (CSC NYC) in 2002, bringing together photographers, artists, skaters, and creative minds who share the passion for football. Gerhard has also been a key figure in maintaining the collective’s spirit over the last two decades.
Following a series of messages between him and me on Instagram about the Sunday morning session, he offered me a spot to join the collective to play football. Saturday, April 5th at night, I received a text from him: “We’re gonna play a mellow session tomorrow morning, meeting around 8:30, kick-off 8:45 at Nike Field Soccer, Manhattan. Turf Shoes, No Cleats” Instantly, I replied, “Thank you, mate, noted. See you Tomorrow”. The next morning, I woke up early to avoid oversleeping. I had breakfast on the way to the pitch: a large and chilled can of Arizona green tea to wake me up, a couple of ripe bananas, and some muffins bought from a bodega nearest the Nostrand stop in Brooklyn. I arrived at the pitch early at 8:15 AM, wearing a travel waterproof jacket, a Juventus away 2015-16 shirt, black adidas shorts, white training socks, and my travel trainer adidas EQT-91. Upon my arrival at the pitch, I met with Gerhard, who had a tremendous welcoming spirit and introduced me to the collective’s people one by one at first sight. I noticed that the CSC NYC people dressed differently from any other football collective, blending vintage football gear with style. One of the players was Raúl Vilchis, a creative photographer and a player with a standout football outfit dressing up in a long-sleeved dark blue AS-Roma Diadora drill top from the early 2000s, a KNVB orange training short, an orange beanie, a white adidas Predator Absolute TF, and of course, his blue socks were down, just like Rui Costa in his heydays. Billy Manzanares, too, showed up with a long-sleeved Umbro Manchester United 1994-95 away shirt with Cantona on the back, a classic, and a laceless blackout Nike Phantom GX-TF. He kept talking about how they fit snugly in his feet and were comfortable to wear. Gerhard Stochl also wore a stunning black and red checkerboard pattern shirt with “SOHO WARRIORS” printed on it, and a solid Kaiser 5 TF boot on his feet, a cult choice.
We played two hours of pure Joga Bonito in a 7-a-side match on a drizzly, quiet Sunday morning in Manhattan. I felt energized, however, I kept slipping throughout the session as the turf was damp. I did not have enough grip on the pitch surface, and I was not wearing the proper boots. Though I was not embarrassed by my falls, I felt enthused to play more, chasing the ball in drizzly rain with strangers who felt like teammates. Inside, I was thinking, “This is New York; I belong to CSC NYC, even for just two hours”
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
The night before, I finally ticked off a long-awaited experience attending my first-ever MLS fixture in the U.S. I made my way to Red Bull Arena in New Jersey to watch the New York Red Bulls take on the Chicago Fire FC. Last season, the New York Red Bulls lost the MLS Cup final against the LA Galaxy, and this season, to bounce back, they bought Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting from FC Bayern Munich to strengthen their squad.
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
Saturday started grey and rainy in New York; the weather showed no signs of clearing up. However, it did not stop the football fans from gathering, and it did not stop me either. I was here for this. I hopped on a train to Jersey from the World Trade Center in a 30-minute journey, As usual, I arrived early, and despite the showers, there was a wave of stalls around engagement activities around the stadium, distributing free Red Bull energy drink cans, branded Red Bull hats, and string bags to fans. I was surprised by the level of fan engagement. Despite visiting countless stadiums across Europe, the pre-match atmosphere in the U.S. is high. Upon entry to the stadium, I knew exactly where I wanted to be, near the Ultras fans, even though my seat was allocated elsewhere, I was determined to sit next to them. I was here to capture their raw emotions, atmosphere, energy, and culture.
The New York Red Bulls Ultras were electric, vibrant, and mostly of Hispanic descent, and I kept hearing Spanish chants in the stands. They brought up all their drums, megaphones, flags, and smoke bombs, and the chanting never stopped for the full 90 minutes. For me, it was not just watching football but living football culture at its finest. As someone who experienced European football culture, I was genuinely impressed by the passion and atmosphere levels of the New York Red Bulls fandom. Today, the MLS and football in the U.S. are gaining momentum, global recognition by fans, and unprecedented growth after the transfer of Leo Messi to Inter Miami, which put the MLS on the football map. My recommendation: If you ever find yourself in New York, do not miss the opportunity to head to Jersey to watch the New York Red Bulls and lose yourself in the Ultras Section, to feel the rhythm of the US soccer culture.
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
© Salmen Ayadi 2025
Sadly, my trip to NYC came to an end. During it, I strolled in Central Park and wandered across New York's busiest avenues and streets. I listened to Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” on the Brooklyn Bridge, looking at Lower Manhattan’s Skyline at night. I ate the most delicious bagels at Russ & Daughters and New York Pizza slices at Joe’s Pizza. I grabbed a takeaway black coffee on the move, and I walked fast like a true New Yorker. I met the most amazing people through CSC NYC; I played football in Manhattan, I watched the Brooklyn Nets playing at Barclays Center, I visited several art exhibitions, museums, and football and streetwear stores from Saturdays Football and Classic Football Shirts NYC, to Aimé Leon Dore, Kith, and Staple I enjoyed being in Soho’s charming streets and Manhattan. I went to the Yankees stadium, and I saw a Mickey Mantle banner in the Bronx, which reminded me of the movie and the cult scene of “ Mickey Mantle?, Is that what you’re upset about?”. Undoubtedly, I bought myself a navy blue Yankee hat as a New York souvenir from the city.
This was my five-day football trip to New York on a budget. New York City, you have stolen my heart since childhood, and I can’t wait to come back to see you again. I belong to you.
Last but not least, this is my first blog post to publish on the internet; without the trust of Amar Shah, founder of Among Good People (AGP), I would not have documented this trip in a blog post. Thanks to him for offering his space and challenging my writing skills.
Salmen Ayadi (@salmen_ayadi)