The friendship began in fifth grade when Mendes transferred to the author’s school, and the two quickly bonded over a love of movies, from Batman and Black Sabbath to the works of Martin Scorsese.
Years later, life pulled them apart — one settled in New York, the other in São Paulo — but they kept in touch through Skype calls, navigating the challenges of a growing distance.
The pandemic proved to be a turning point; stuck at home, they discovered a shared ritual of watching São Paulo FC matches together, turning a weekly broadcast into a lifeline that bridged thousands of miles.
Their connection deepened as they traveled to São Paulo for games, braving rain, police checks, and disappointing losses, yet always returning to the stadium with the same hopeful spirit.
In 2023 they finally attended a fourth‑division match together, celebrating a 2‑0 victory that felt like a shared triumph after years of longing.
A Shared Passion Across Continents
From early movie nights to cheering for the same club across continents, soccer has been the constant thread that wove their lives together, measured not in miles but in the moments they spent together, mute on the screen, shouting in the stands, and laughing over shared memories.