This Documentarian Followed the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team for 4 Years. Here’s Her Biggest Takeaway

To create the five-part sports documentary, now streaming, the executive producer led production across six countries and built friendships with the players and their families. She praised the choices they all make to help the men make their dreams come true.

“The biggest sacrifice is probably (the) time you spend away from your families,” she says. “And it just goes to show the amount of support and sacrifice that their families also undergo, not just them, the wives at home… All of their stories have pulled on my heartstrings.”

While the episodes led to the World Cup kickoff, Pelayo and her team are still filming.

“You never know where the magic might happen,” she says. “There could be an episode after the World Cup, or this could be the first episode of Season 2. Who knows. I just think documenting this moment in history as the sport emerges in the U.S. is going to be worth (it).”

She adds that as the sport becomes more popular in the U.S. and more kids decide to pursue it, “it’s meaningful to all the generations.”

“It’s a moment in time that we’ll never get. World Cups on home soil come across every, maybe, 30 years,” she says. “It’s a special time for sure.”

Below, in her own words, Pelayo shares her World Cup memories, as well as what she’s most looking forward to as the tournament is underway.

What is your earliest memory of watching a World Cup?

I was born in the Philippines, so I didn’t really grow up with the sport. Basketball is still the largest sport there. But my first World Cup memory was, I believe, the 2014 World Cup. I was in Seattle and it was just such an electric atmosphere of people walking about. We were (watching) a game and I didn’t know anything about the sport, the team, but I was in it. It was fun. It built community, which is kind of hard to do as a transplant. (I) had moved to different cities, so finding a common community in the bar was so much fun.

I’m really late to the party. I think it’s a great event for everyone to get into. It’s amazing. There’s so much to peel back behind soccer and behind national teams, and you just get drawn in.

What was your biggest takeaway from documenting the USMNT’s lives?

Soccer is such a beautiful sport culture and it’s that healthy masculinity that we want to see and highlight. These guys are very young, they care about doing the right thing, even if it’s a hard thing to do, they’re going to do it. It’s really beautiful documenting them trying to build a legacy because they haven’t built it yet. They’re in the midst of doing it right now. That just resonates with everybody on a day-to-day level, trying to do the best they can. It’s also eye-opening for me seeing what their families go through and how they step up to the plate in order to join this mission.

What are you most looking forward to during the World Cup?

There was a fan that approached us during the open public training and he basically thanked Yunus Musah for showcasing his faith. He’s a practicing Muslim on Team USA. That to me is super meaningful because everyone’s trying to compete and be on the team, and there’s a million different ways to get here. To highlight Yunus’ story, he was a huge integral part of the team and maybe he makes his way back. But just to showcase that time in their lives, and whether it’s a moment of success or a moment of hardship, it’s leaving the door open for a great comeback story.

They’re still all so young. So for me, the biggest takeaway is just, stay tuned. You never know who you might see pop back in or who might emerge as your favorite player because their stories are still being told.