Sports

The revitalization of Puerto Rico’s professional basketball league is thanks largely to new team owners with the right vision —like music superstar Bad Bunny— and an influx of former NBA players looking to extend their careers. Latino Rebels speaks with Héctor Horta, owner of this year’s champions, the Gigantes de Carolina.

To discuss the surprise success of non-European teams at this year’s Women’s World Cup, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes back Brenda Elsey, author of ‘Futbolera: A History of Women and Sports in Latin America.’

For the first time in history, Cuba will be represented in the Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. A new documentary by Havana-based media organization Belly of the Beast, titled ‘Little League Dreams,’ showcases the young players and their individual journeys.

Latino Rebels senior editor Hector Luis Alamo steps in as guest host to welcome sports journalist Bryan Fonseca for a knockout conversation on the future of Puerto Rican boxing, history made at the NBA draft, and Boricua representation in pro wrestling.

Fighting in his native Guadalajara for the first time in 12 years has presented some different challenges for Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez, like finding out just how many tickets he needs to accommodate family and friends.

The San Diego Padres will play against the San Francisco Giants next weekend at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú in the country’s capital, where fans are eager to watch more baseball after Mexico’s deep run at the World Baseball Classic in March.

Brazil’s Indigenous women often lead their villages and groups, but for many years they were looked down on when they tried to play soccer. As the South American nation improves its structure for female players, Indigenous women say they also feel encouraged to take up the sport.

On a special episode of Latino Rebels Radio, sports correspondent Bryan Fonseca turns the tables on host Julio Ricardo Varela as they discuss the impact of this year’s World Baseball Classic, the controversy around Twitter Blue, and more.

In this special sports edition of Latino Rebels Radio, sports correspondent Bryan Fonseca chats with Futuro Media president and Latino Rebels founder Julio Ricardo Varela about Latinos and baseball, Twitter Blue, and Julio being a diehard fan of both the New York Knicks and Boston Red Sox at the same time.

On Sunday the U.S. played Cuba in the World Baseball Classic to a crowd of fans of the game and protesters against the Cuban regime. The goal of the demonstrations was presumably to bring awareness to Cuba’s totalitarian regime, but it was really about proximity to whiteness.

Puerto Rico on Friday broke the Guinness World record for the most hair dyed, with 192 men going blond to support the U.S. territory’s team vying to win the World Baseball Classic after finishing twice as runner-up.

Now that Haiti’s national women’s soccer team has qualified for the Women’s World Cup, Latino Rebels Radio host Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Brenda Elsey, a professor at Hofstra University, to discuss and celebrate this exciting moment in Haitian sports history.

Gunmen threatened Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi in a written message left Thursday when they opened fire at a supermarket owned by his in-laws in Argentina, police said.

For the first time in its history, the Haitian women’s soccer team has qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup after defeating Chile 2-1 on Tuesday.

Two former Fox executives went on trial Tuesday, accused of bribing South American soccer officials for TV rights to one of the continent’s biggest annual tournaments and using information gathered in the process to help the network’s winning World Cup broadcast bid.

Brazil said a final farewell to Pelé on Tuesday, burying the legend who unified the bitterly divided country. Newly inaugurated President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva paid his respects at Vila Belmiro, the stadium where Pelé played for most of his career.

Lionel says he wants to keep playing for the Argentinian team, so maybe we’ll see him in another World cup. But for now, the Messi-Ronaldo debate has ended for many, and Argentina has won their first World Cup in 36 years, their third all-time—and one that will resonate in the proud fútbol nation forever.

Lionel Messi and Argentina set their sights on World Cup glory in Sunday’s final against France. For Messi, it means one last chance to cap his amazing legacy with the biggest prize in the world’s most popular sports tournament.

While Team USA has far more signs of hope, given that their players are ascending, competing in top leagues, and have reached the Round of 16 after an eight-year absence, Mexico just had their worst World Cup showing in decades, with a roster led by highly experienced but old veterans.

This week’s wrap-up comes to you from the cozy confines of quarantine, as senior editor Hector Luis Alamo has managed to catch COVID for only the second time this year.

Cuban officials announced Monday that women boxers would be able to compete officially after decades of restrictions, though they didn’t yet confirm if that would be taken to a professional level like it was with Cuban male boxers earlier this year.