Bay Area deputies form soccer team inspired by 2026 World Cup

FIFA World Cup inspires soccer team formation with Bay Area deputies

Players of the "Juventus Crew" are mostly deputies who work in the Santa Clara County Main Jail. The team's formation was inspired by the FIFA World Cup that's taking place in two weeks. 

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Exactly two weeks from today, the 2026 World Cup will kick off, as the world's biggest sporting event stops in the Bay Area.

Levi’s Stadium is scheduled to host six matches in total, including a high-stakes Round of 32 match that could potentially feature Team USA. While soccer fever is spreading globally, the tournament is also bringing local fans together in unique ways—including a group of sheriff’s deputies in Santa Clara County.

Bay Area soccer fever ahead of 2026 World Cup

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Part of the appeal of the World Cup is that it is not just about soccer; it is also about sharing enthusiasm and love for the game. That upcoming tournament is exactly what motivated one Santa Clara County Sheriff’s deputy to start a competitive soccer team with his co-workers.

At Christmas Hill Park in Gilroy on a recent weekend, the competitive spirit was out in full force. The players on the "Juventus Crew" team—wearing the iconic black-and-white uniforms of the famous Italian club—are mostly deputies who work in the Santa Clara County Main Jail.

"With the World Cup being this year, we kind of all got motivated and decided to start this team," said Deputy Ivan Lopez, the head coach of the team.

Lopez previously played pickup games with some of his colleagues. However, as World Cup enthusiasm began picking up, he started asking around at work.

"I said, 'Hey, the World Cup is coming up, let’s create a team and just be out there,'" Lopez said. "It has been a while since we all played. It was actually pretty quick—in about a week, I had everything all set up."

How soccer builds camaraderie in law enforcement

Local perspective:

One of the team members is Sgt. David Dominguez, who serves as the real-world supervisor for several of the players.

"Soccer for me—I like the consistency of it and the challenge in working as a team," Dominguez said. "It is a lot harder to score a goal when 11 people all have to be playing at the same time and in sync."

Dominguez noted that the camaraderie built on the pitch has also translated to the workplace.

"Because we have that relationship, we are able to be a little bit harder on each other and coach each other on the field—with love, it is all coming from a good place," Sgt. Dominguez said. "But it was a good opportunity for us to bond as a unit."

Marine Corps veteran mentorship on the pitch

What's next:

One of the big hopes for the World Cup is that it grows the game in the United States, and that impact extends well beyond just youth sports.

"It has been a great experience for me personally because this is my first time ever playing soccer," said 51-year-old Deputy Richard Diaz, who serves as the team's goalie.

"I have known about soccer, and I have tried to play it," Diaz added. "I did 20 years in the Marine Corps, and the only time I ever played is what we called 'combat soccer'—where we play with our peers in the Marines—and I am thinking, 'OK, that’s all it is?' No, there is more to it!"

Deputy Ignacio Oseguera, who plays defense, even wears the department’s official World Cup badge on his uniform. 

"You form a stronger bond because at work you deal with a lot of different situations, very stressful," Oseguera said. "And then when you go out and play, you relieve your stress and just focus on having fun."

While the team is not official sheriff’s department business, the deputies say the rigorous matches help them stay in shape, which is a key requirement of their day jobs and an overall departmental priority for Sheriff Bob Jonsen. 

The only downside? At the moment, the team holds a losing record in their local league. However, players say morale remains high as they look forward to the World Cup arriving in their backyard.