L.A. Community Comes to Aid of Guatemala’s World Cup Soccer Effort

Guatemala is not a wealthy country. When its national soccer team said it was short of money recently in its quest to reach the 1990 World Cup finals, the players and managers asked their compatriots in “El Norte” for help.

The Guatemalan community of Los Angeles did not let them down. In the past four months, workers and businessmen have contributed $5, $10 and $100 apiece--raising about $7,000 solely to supplement player salaries. The funds were given to team members in a Huntington Park ceremony Saturday night in showing that despite the distance, Guatemalan immigrants have not lost their obsession with their homeland’s national sport.

“Before anything else, I’m Guatemalan,” said Hugo Merida, who played host to the ceremony at his restaurant. “And secondly, I love soccer. I had to give to the team.”

When most country’s national teams play, it is more than a single result of a game. The country’s honor is at stake. When the Guatemalan team played Chile’s national team in an exhibition tournament match at the Coliseum Friday night, the nationalistic fervor erupted into a small riot.

“Guatemaaala!, Guatemaaala!,” thousands of fans shouted as the Guatemalan team entered the stadium.

“We don’t get to watch our soccer that much anymore, so it’s special,” said Raymundo Rodriguez, 40, who came to the game with his wife and two sons. “We are so far away . . . this means a lot.”

Guatemala has never qualified for the World Cup finals. Hopes were high for this year’s team until reports about the team’s financial crisis began filtering in from Guatemala in January. The country’s sports federation was unable to pay salaries and was afraid some of its star players would leave for club competition.

The Guatemalan consulate in Los Angeles organized a fund-raising campaign and broadcast pleas for help on local Spanish-language radio stations. The team’s plight struck a chord. Many of those watching Friday said they had made contributions.

Oscar Velazquez, a 27-year-old dishwasher, said he gave $5. Small business operator Roberto Matamoros gave $20. Ruben Ponciano, a building maintenance clerk, said he contributed $10.

“Back in our country we start playing soccer since childhood. Every neighborhood, both rich and poor, has its team,” Ponciano said as he stood with other fans waving the blue-and-white Guatemalan flag. “But this is everybody’s team. Let’s hope it comes through.”

When Chile took a 1-0 lead, some Guatemalan fans began taking out their frustrations on a group of Chileans clustered around a handful of their own national flags.

Suddenly, a group of more 100 Guatemalan men charged the Chileans, who were outnumbered about 10 to one. The Chileans ran until a dozen baton-waving Los Angeles policemen broke up the charge and restored order.

“It’s just soccer,” one police officer sighed after the melee. “It happens all the time. This is tame compared to when El Salvador plays Mexico.”

The Chileans held their lead and won, 1-0.

But at least one Guatemalan fan felt the loss was honorable.

“We lost against a great rival,” said Nelson Hernandez, a student at Cal State Los Angeles. Hernandez proudly pointed to a gash in his cheekbone, suffered in a scrap with a Chilean fan.

Hernandez said he would not be too disappointed if Guatemala fails to qualify for the World Cup finals in Italy next year. Guatemala is competing in a qualifying tournament for one of two berths against the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Trinidad and Tobago.

But if they do qualify?

“Ooooh!” he exclaimed, rolling his eyes and shaking his head in excitement. “The greatest, simply the greatest.”