Is This The World's Fiercest Football Tournament? | Soul Searching

In COPA90’s new series Soul Searching, Hashim Otban explores the world’s most intense street football tournament: Torneo del Barrio.

On a mission to discover the soul of football, he enters grassroots worlds no one else can — or will. He steps away from overpriced tickets and VAR; he’s out in the streets, meeting the next generation who are defining the true future of the game.

In this episode, Hash travels to Medellín’s most notorious barrio to experience the raw essence of football. Popularised by YouTube streams and attracting the likes of Luis Díaz, the tournament has transcended the microcosm of the barrio to become a national phenomenon.

Through the semi-finals and final, Hashim meets players from opposing teams, unpacks the neighbourhood’s complex history, and captures the culture, struggle, and community spirit that inspire thousands of spectators to turn Torneo del Barrio into a gladiatorial affair.

A COPA90 production.

Director: Ali Cullen
Hosted by: Hashim Otban
Executive Producers: Jeremy Leibovitch & Ross Whittow-Williams
Head of Production: Rob Michaels
Head of Content: Jack Fletcher
Producer: Ali Cullen
Developed by: Ali Cullen, Daniel Parker & Jeremy Leibovitch
Camera Operators: Ali Cullen, Maximiliano Ortega & Rubén Hernández
Additional Cinematography: Jairo Iván Martínez Cuéllar, Juan Fernando jimenez López, Liberman, Arango Quintero & Zach Lowry
Camera Assistants: Felipe González Cárdenas, Juan Sebastián Ramón González & Matt Vasquez
Drone Pilot: Daniel Gómez Montoya
Sound Recordist: Juan Pablo Silva
Fixer & Translator: Juan Diego Quintero
Editor: Dillon Steele
Colourist: Phoebe May
Sound Engineer: Steven Dove
Post Production Coordinator: Oscar Sephton
Title Design: Dan Levey
Special Thanks: Futto, Jotadera & Torneo del Barrio