Key West Picks a Side. For the World Cup, That Is

Despite its numerous factions, demographics, and an unusually distracting off-year election season, Key West and the Lower Keys have seen a unified summer, however briefly, thanks in large part to sports.

Even though this was the first time in several years that Florida failed to produce a hockey team in the heavily watched Stanley Cup Finals (the back-to-back champion Florida Panthers did not even make the playoffs) there was still plenty of action and watch parties as islanders and visitors looked to their old zip codes, home countries, and family roots for historic victories in the NBA Finals and most of all, the exhilaration of an often hard-to-predict FIFA World Cup.

It should have been obvious that, with the U.S. serving as one of three host nations, there would naturally be a spike in soccer interest (or football, for the overwhelming majority of the world). But some truly unexpected narratives emerging from the tournament's earliest stages proved even more galvanizing. The momentum only increased from there.

The overperformance of smaller nations plus a hopeful run by Team USA that carried them into the Round of 16 meant that Key West bars, restaurants, porches and communal smartphones were much more crowded with soccer fans than during the 2022 tournament in Qatar, which unfolded during the busier winter weeks of November and December.

Throughout it all, many locals have seen their soccer hopes rise, fall and even carry over to new teams as the field of competitors winnowed, often through late-game comebacks and deadlocks broken in extra time. I kept up with several fans to see what shaped their fealty and which team they would champion in the end.

One young Nicaraguan islander, who I'll call Ava, was hopeful that France and her favorite player, Kylian Mbappé, would go all the way and take the title, that is, before they fell short against Spain in the semifinal.

She revealed that while it may have appeared more obvious for her to support the geographically closer Argentina, it was important that she back teams with players whose values she could get behind both on and off the field. Plus, like many other Central American residents, once Mexico was eliminated, she started searching for a team that would best fit the "underdog" narrative. For her, that appeared to be France.

Joe Wooten, a bartender who helped host many of the watch parties at The Bearded Lady, found himself in a similar position after the U.S. team stumbled against Belgium, an experience he found "depressing" as a die-hard soccer fan.

He then found himself rooting for Norway, a team that gained plenty of viral moments and fellow "Vikings" through the prowess of Erling Haaland. But once they were bested by England in the quarterfinals, Wooten found himself half-jokingly in the position of simply picking whichever team had fewer fans on the island so he could potentially spoil some of the other side's fun.

After all, he said, it's amusing to play opposition to another team's fans.

Then there were other locals, like inns manager Mey Espinoza, who were more flexible when it came to reallocating their support once their favorites were eliminated. Espinoza watched as many games as she could, cheering on the USA and Mexico until both were knocked out in the Round of 16. Once it became clear that Argentina had a real shot at returning to the final, she was enthusiastic about backing the defending champions.

"I think Argentina is carrying the hopes of the Americas and that's what makes this next game so exciting," she said. "It's also bittersweet because the United States has been eliminated as a host nation and as fans, we always hope to see our country go further, but that's the beauty and heartbreak of the World Cup."

Espinoza believes this once-every-four-years event has a unique way of bringing people together. The fans are what she loves most.

"It's what makes this tournament so special. You see the passion, you see the pride, the emotion from every corner of the world, and every supporter wearing their colors. Whether they're in the stadium or watching from home, fans are united by the love of the game and the pride representing where we come from."

No matter one's state or nationality, she insists that spectators get the chance to celebrate shared moments during a time in the world when divisions can be just as prominent. These soccer matches, played at the highest national stakes, have reminded her that sports still have the power to unite. And that's something she feels we need more of.

As the world awaits a final that will see Argentina try to become repeat champions against Spain, which is seeking its second World Cup title after winning in South Africa in 2010, the fans I spoke to have moved, with varying speeds, toward selecting their preferred champion.

Espinoza, of course, is happy to keep cheering for Argentina, whose passion and connection to the Americas are hard for her to ignore. Ava was disappointed to see France eliminated but reluctantly came around to backing Argentina, since it is technically closer to Nicaragua than Spain.

Wooten, meanwhile, is happy to buck what will likely be the larger island trend and support Spain. He reckons a Spanish victory will allow him to hold it over any friends and bar patrons rooting for the South American force.

One way or another, this will likely go down as an unusual but highly enjoyable summer of sun and sport in the southernmost city.