One aspect of American soccer culture puzzles Ramses Abud.
The FC Tucson supporter finds it odd when friends get into fiery debates about clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona.
To Abud, you should “take pride in the city that feeds you.”
“None of those cities do anything for you,” Abud said. “This is our city, we live here. We have the option to live anywhere in the world: If you really wanted to move, you can move — but we choose to stay. So for us to support local businesses and not support the local club makes no sense to me.”
Riding a seven-match unbeaten streak, FC Tucson (9-8-6), hosts North Texas SC at 7 p.m. on Southern Arizona Heritage Night. The Men in Black will wear a new uniform designed by Abud, dubbed “El Jefe.”
The kit features sky blue and orange splash of color representing a sunset along with a large jaguar. The goalkeeper kit is white with tan paint splashed behind the jaguar. The kit is named after El Jefe, a jaguar that has been spotted regularly in Southern Arizona. He is the only known wild jaguar in the United States.
Saturday will be the only time the kit will be worn. Match-worn jerseys will be auctioned off next week.
“It’s beautiful,” said FC Tucson midfielder João Delgado. “We are proud to wear it.”
When it came time to design the uniform, Abud — who is a first generation Mexican-American — sought to find an animal that represents Tucson. He wanted something that wasn’t prey and embodied the desert.
FC Tucson supporter Ramses Abud designed the team’s “El Jefe” kit, which will make its debut Saturday night at Kino North Stadium.
Since jaguars are known for strength and mystical significance — Aztecs, Mayans and Incas all had temples for the jaguar — and El Jefe has appeared in Arizona, it fit. Jaguars are something the United States and Mexico share, like the Sonoran Desert.
“So that’s really what it came down to: try and embody both lineages and honor the land,” Abud said.
Both El Jefe jerseys are on sale for $70; El Jefe scarves are $20.
Seven other USL League One clubs have debuted “culture kits” this year, but the others were designed by the USL Creative team. FC Tucson is likely the only one to wear them.
Clinton Yates of ESPN, Aaron West of CBS Sports and Jason Davis of SiriusXM all took notice of the El Jefe kit.
FC Tucson players are on board, too.
“It’s good, I like the colors,” said FC Tucson defender Maximiliano Schenfeld. “The idea, everything behind the kit is a good one because of all the sunsets that we have here, especially with the colors and everything is going to look very good.”
