\n<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the immigrants and the refugees think that being seen playing soccer may help them gain acceptance in the US.<\/p>\n
“I feel like some people just see immigrants as these kind of people that have nowhere else to be and they come in their country and don’t do anything,” Deji said.<\/p>\n
“There’s a lot of American people that watch us, just passing by, and they see immigrants that talk and be happy and just having a good time.<\/p>\n
“I feel like [it] just painted different pictures about immigrants in their mind.”<\/p>\n
Anthony’s own family history in Maine stretches back nine generations, and he believes the benefits of the community at Kennedy Park are clear to see.<\/p>\n
“Having a place where people of very different cultural backgrounds, different nationalities, different generations can all intermingle and connect and become friends is just really special – especially in a state like Maine that overall is not that diverse,” he said.<\/p>\n
The American dream might not be exactly as the immigrants had hoped, but with the World Cup being held in the US, some are still allowing themselves to dream big.<\/p>\n
“Having [World Cup] games a couple of states away from me, I never experienced something like this before,” Deji said.<\/p>\n
“There’s a fire in me burning to be part of that.<\/p>\n
“And that’s one of my dreams, just to be on the world stage.”<\/p>\n
George also harbours his own ambitions of playing professionally, representing DR Congo.<\/p>\n
With the Leopards having reached the last 32 at their first World Cup in over half a century, there has been plenty to celebrate for the Kennedy Park players during the tournament.<\/p>\n
Because whether it is the Fifa World Cup or a game in the park, football is the same wherever you are from.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n