Ciudad de México.- Edson Álvarez got used to walking among people like any other.
The new Ajax signing grew up far from the glamour of a professional football player, who is used to luxuries, sports cars, and million-dollar salaries. When he was 19 years old, he began to forge his own story in a football world that has increasingly less space for Mexicans, regardless of whether they play for the most winning team or for the youth national teams.
"Since I was a child, I dreamed of playing in a full stadium, hearing the people shout and support you," said the defense of Águilas del América, back in 2016, recalling that he was cut from Pachuca's youth system at the age of 14 due to his "short stature."
"The hardest blow I've ever had was when I was fired from Pachuca because I knew it was the dream of the whole family. I said, 'I will never play football again,' I ended up very disappointed."
His parents witnessed that tough moment for the family.
"It was very difficult for the family, but not so much for us because the son was not going to be a football player, but for him," then said Edson's mom, Adriana Velázquez, in what was their home in Tlalnepantla.
"He was on the floor, he was defeated, in the Fourth Division, but I told him, 'come on son, let's go, let's go! You are working so it has to produce something from what you are doing,'" remembers Evaristo Álvarez.
Two years later, at 16, Edson decided to try out for América and was accepted after 3 months of practice. Paradoxically, Edson is now 1.87 meters tall and was in 2016 the only youth player from América's academy starting in the team led by Ricardo La Volpe.
The center back, adapted by La Volpe as a right back due to the high number of injuries affecting América, spends between three and four hours every day and used to spend more than 70 percent of his salary on transportation from his home in Tlalnepantla to the club and back.
His first moment of character was shown in the Copa MX Semifinal in October 2016 against Chivas. While some of the more experienced players of the team did not want to take the penalty kick, Edson asked for the ball.
"There were no specific shooters, so (Rubens) Sambueza supported me and said, 'the kid wants to take it, give him the chance, he knows how to do it'," he remembered to ESPN.
"It was time to do something different in my football career, and I thought, 'if not now, then never.' Álvarez made a great shot, and while América would be eliminated against Chivas, that could be the key moment that Edson needs to showcase his talent in the first team.
"I believe that everyone suffers at the beginning, I don't know if suffering is the right word, but they make greater efforts, I think that's the word. And that journey you make (between Tlalnepantla and Coapa) may seem heavy, but you know you have a dream and you go for it, you never give up."
His father and brother were players in the Third and Second Division... They are there to always remind Edson that with effort, work, and sacrifice, any dream is possible.