Photo: Moosa Moseneke | Unsplash
Spain has been taking in many migrants, who arrive from South America and Africa; in 2023, it was nearly 57,000 of them and the country received more than 160,000 first-time applications for asylum, including 2,505 for minors. Many of these minors have joined football clubs formed in Spain’s towns and cities with the aim of giving migrants a chance to flourish in their new homes. These clubs are giving youth, and in some cases their parents, hope, community, and support that helps them integrate into their new homeland and build a life there. One of these, FC Darna, began in Barcelona as an association to help young unaccompanied migrants. Originally founded by Spain’s President, Àngela Pérez-Chuecos, the club is helping young people form their identities and a peer group. Other clubs integrate young women, including those wearing the hijab and yet other clubs focus on mothers. Many of the leaders of these clubs focus on football’s role as a focal point for integration into society.
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