Caramelo sorprende en Los Ángeles al apoyar a Estados Unidos en su debut mundialista

Caramelo showed up at SoFi Stadium in Los Ángeles wearing the flag of the United States, a sharp turn for one of the most recognizable followers of the Selección Mexicana. In a Group D match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday, June 12, he stood behind Mauricio Pochettino’s U.S. team against Paraguay, turning a familiar face from Mexican soccer into an unexpected symbol of North America’s shared fan culture.

For years, Caramelo has been identified as Héctor Chávez, the Chihuahua native who has followed Mexico for nearly four decades and through 10 World Cups. That history is what made the scene so striking: a supporter known for traveling the world behind El Tri, now wrapped in the colors of the country hosting the tournament. The gesture was less a rejection of Mexico than a reminder that soccer loyalties in the region can be layered, mobile and shaped by migration, geography and family ties.

The match itself gave the moment even more weight. U.S. Soccer said the USMNT opened its World Cup campaign with a 4-1 win over Paraguay, a result that gave Pochettino’s side an electric start in front of a packed house at Los Ángeles Stadium, also known as SoFi Stadium. Coverage before kickoff had raised concerns about ticket sales and whether the building would fill, but the crowd arrived in force for the Americans’ first World Cup appearance on home soil.

FIFA said Los Ángeles will host eight matches during the tournament, making the city one of the centerpieces of the 2026 event. The day also carried the feel of a larger launch, with an opening celebration in Los Ángeles featuring Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla. Against that backdrop, Caramelo’s Stars and Stripes look landed as more than a novelty: it reflected a tournament in which national-team audiences are overlapping, rivalries are crossing borders, and the World Cup is asking North American fans to share the stage in new ways.