Brooklyn Football Foundation

@opencup Like much of Black history, Villalon’s story must be more widely told. Our full exhibit on “Pito” & Brookhattan will open in July, in the library at Medgar Evers College. We hope this will help spread & re-detail his legacy together, alongside the Black academic community.

@opencup Most notably, Villalon’s career & legacy were denied the biggest stage. His strike partner at Brookhattan, Joe Gaetjens, was famously selected by the national team for the 1950 World Cup in Brazil. Villalon, despite equal scoring prowess & the same citizenship status, was not.

On Juneteenth, we remember the “Jackie Robinson of American soccer” — Jesus “Pito” Villalon, the Cuban immigrant who broke American soccer’s color line. His story is told by our program’s historian for Brookhattan, Dr. Jermaine Scott (@blacksoccerdoc), history professor at FAU:

Brooklyn Hispano was the most successful club in our borough’s history. Their story is long, with many chapters – we only begin to tell it today, and invite you to visit our summer program exhibits as we do. We'll have a copy of this 1944 Final program replica waiting for you.

From its players to its opponents to its historians, the Hispano team shows how our country thrives & grows through its melting pot. Our country has always stood for inclusivity, and its successes have been earned through these values. They are our strength.

82 years ago today, reigning @opencup champion Brooklyn Hispano traveled upstate to Camp Shanks, for an extraordinary match against a unit of foreign POWs. To tell their story, we've reproduced the program from the 1944 Final, expanded with full bios for the entire Hispano team.

🖼️ One week from today, NYC welcomes the world for its first match of the @FIFAWorldCup 2026. Starting tomorrow, come celebrate with us at our flagship exhibit, “The Nine Champions of Brooklyn” — the story of BK’s @opencup champions, ft. a significant collection from @soccerhof!

NYC’s famous Met Oval was founded Brooklyn’s German-Hungarian S.C., the 1951 Challenge Cup winner. To celebrate its centennial, we’ve partnered with the modern Met Oval Academy on an exhibit about the team. Come visit at DUMBO’s Empire Stores, just yards away from BK’s Fan Fest!

We’re drawing a line from the history of soccer in Brooklyn, right to its present-day clubs. Join us on Wednesday for this year’s @opencup quarterfinal! We’ll be unveiling the first of our “Wanderers” panels at McMahon’s, going up in pubs across the borough all summer. ☘️🗽

This weekend, to mark 112 years since the first final, we salute the @opencup for telling the classic American story. And all summer, we celebrate the borough that’s won it most, and its communities that showcase the best of America. Introducing, the Brooklyn Football Museum. 🌻