Brazil

Recife

I never knew how much I would miss my feeling in Brazil watching Mexico beat Croatia 3-1 in the final group stage match during the 2014 World Cup. As I go through my pictures, the image of the mostly empty stadium brings a nostalgia that reminds me of why I love soccer so much. It reinforces why I spend so many hours thinking about it, learning about it, and even, at 35, playing it. Soccer is an emotional journey, and a stadium only amplifies the emotion. It represents the capsule in which the hearts of many will be left paralyzed, wanting more, and/or sent home with a sense of accomplishment. After I returned to look at the field that night, I knew I had captured something special. It was a snapshot of the calm one feels when you know you’ve witnessed something special.