Nike’s Toma LA Finals Spotlighted Local Street Soccer Crews

On the night of July 26, Nike took over the streets of Los Angeles to bring the community’s street soccer culture to the forefront. Through the Swoosh’s new soccer initiative, Toma El Juego (Take the Game), the brand celebrates “The Beautiful Game” by amplifying the sport’s self-expressive nature and creative spirit for the next generation of players. That night, youth teams from across the Los Angeles area put their best foot forward on the pitch for Nike’s Toma LA Finals – where only two teams took home the title.

After kicking off the Toma el Juego soccer competition series earlier this summer by gathering local L.A. teams for fast-paced tournaments, Nike named two teams champions out of the eight that competed for the trophy on Saturday, July 26. Together, the Tiki-Taka Futbol boys’ team and Toque Futsal girls’ team walked away with the win for their respective crews, championing their neighborhoods – Central LA and Southeast LA, respectively. The win was more than enough to solidify the teams as local legends, but the Toma LA Finals’ post-win perks could also propel them to global superstardom. As the crowned teams, Tiki-Taka and Toque took home the championship belt designed by Georgina Trevino and MVPs, Noe Morales and Jennifer Alvarez are now signed to two-year contracts as Nike athletes and have automatically been entered into the U.S. Soccer Talent I.D. Camp for a chance to train and try out for the National Team.

The players join current Nike athletes, Vini Jr., Drogba and Naomi Girma, all of whom were present at the knockout tournament, alongside hosts Vini Jr. and rapper Travis Scott. All three soccer stars have deep, personal ties to street soccer — roots that trace back to their early pre-pro days. Drogba, known for his historic career at Chelsea FC as one of the club’s greatest players, got his start playing street soccer. While, Girma, who grew up in the U.S. where street soccer continues to gain popularity, connected with the gritty game and learned to carve out space for herself as a female athlete.

A night to remember, the Toma LA Finals saw the beautiful blend of competition, celebration and community. The latter was particularly felt with local L.A. brands Paisaboys and Badfriend in attendance. In collaboration with Nike, the two streetwear labels designed the kits for the winning teams, Tiki-Taka and Toque, as well as the six remaining teams. Paisaboys provided an unconventional approach to traditional football aesthetics with the kits for Toque, Insainz, La Comunidad and VBFC, drawing design inspiration from mixed media, claymation and sculpture. Meanwhile, Badfriend brought a punk flair to the kits for Tiki-Taka, Culture FC, Football For Her and House of 626 by incorporating DIY elements such as stencils and repurposed graphics.

While Toma El Juego has come to a close in the U.S. – for now – Nike’s just getting started. Planning to hit Seoul, South Korea next for Toma SEOUL, the Swoosh will spotlight the street soccer scene in the East. For now, take a look at the photography above – captured by the players themselves – and relive the first installment of Nike’s Toma El Juego.

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