Futbol forever
Inked across his chest
Asleep with a smile
Head upon ball, he rests
No prison to call home
No wardens to report
No worries in the world
Because life is too sport
He wakes on the street
He makes his way with his feet
Juggling for applause
Claps fuel his feet’s beat
With claps come coin
With coin comes food
His energy prolonged
By the smiles he chewed
No pension, no prison
No purgatory, no pride
Only passion for Futbol
Juggling freedom in stride
Ball in the air
Till sun sets to ground
Then back on the ball
His head lands again found
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In San Jose, Costa Rica, I met “Bull.” He is a Guatemalan, three-time champion of Central America for the sport, Freestyle Futbol. He juggles a soccer ball on the street to make money to eat, then he competes. He sleeps where he can with family, friends or on the street. He is free and happy and living his dream. He juggles a ball through the day, and at night he rests his head on his ball to sleep. If a day is a life, and if his head were a ball, each night he’d be struck by his pillow, and he would be juggled by his Futbol. Ball is life. He is free.
Find Bull on Instagram at @BullStreetStyle.