Yonkers youth soccer players inspired ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup
The Lansdowne Yonkers Football Club is a growing youth program that focuses on more than just the game.
Excitement is building across the tri-state area as the 2026 FIFA World Cup is just weeks away, especially with some matches set to take place at MetLife Stadium.
In Yonkers, that energy is already showing up on the field.
The Lansdowne Yonkers Football Club is a growing youth program that focuses on more than just the game.
"For the club, we incorporate the person as well. From people who have just started playing and want to fall in love with the sport, or kids who have collegiate aspirations," said Matthew Kane, a head coach and technical director.
The club's summer camp kicks off soon after July 4. By then, the players at the camp will have spent weeks watching the world's best teams battle for the sport's biggest prize.
"We want to inspire them as much as possible," Kane said on Tuesday. "When you see a sport as global and as big as the World Cup right on your doorstep, you know, it can only help but inspire the kids even more."
And these future stars say they can't wait to watch soccer's biggest stars play in the tri-state area.
"I'm really excited," said Eliana Guzman, a 9-year-old.
"I'm actually going to a game," said 8-year-old Leonardo Mejia.
Both Eliana and Leonardo say they can learn a thing or two from watching the pros.
"How they scan the field, their passes, their shots, things like that," Leonardo said.
"Maybe if I saw someone using the ball in a different way that I usually don't use it, then it might help me in games to run faster past the defender," Eliana said.
They say watching the games will inspire them to never give up on a sport they've grown to love.
