KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - It all started with a yerba mate.
Before the World Cup kicked off, KCTV5 introduced Kansas City to Cafe Corazon - a local coffee shop rooted in Argentine culture with three locations across the metro. Wednesday, as Argentina punched their ticket to the World Cup Final with a semifinal victory over England, the Crossroads location became the heart of the city’s celebration.
Dulcinea Herrera and her mother founded Cafe Corazon, building it from the ground up with deep Argentine roots woven into everything they do. For Herrera, the tournament has never just been about soccer.
“My grandfather who was one of the inspirations for Cafe Corazon, why we opened. He was Argentinian and he would have loved to be here,” Herrera said. “He’s passed since we opened and it was nice to have that community here and it made me feel closer to him and reminded me of my childhood.”
Herrera said the journey to get here has not been easy - but it has been worth it.
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“We grew up deep in the mountains and we didn’t have much. We always just had a dream and wanted to make it work,” she said.
Wednesday’s watch party at the Crossroads location drew a smaller crowd than a typical sports bar — but that was exactly the point. The atmosphere felt less like a watch party and more like a family gathering, with fans packed together sharing every moment of the match.
[ Defending champion Argentina reaches World Cup final by beating England 2-1 ]
For Herrera, the emotion of the tournament has been building for weeks.
“The other day we have a watch party. We were dancing and I cried a little because I’m just so proud of everything we’ve come through,” she said.
The feeling inside Cafe Corazon extended beyond those with Argentine roots.
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Marianna Aldao, who is originally from Argentina, summed up the spirit of the night.
“Argentina, I love you. Wherever you are,” Aldao said. “One doesn’t have to be from Argentina to be Argentinian.”
That sentiment resonated with Kansas City natives as well. Rob Guy, a Kansas City local, said the World Cup has brought something unexpected to the city.
“For the past month it’s just felt so positive and all the joy and the culture,” Guy said. “Getting to meet people from all around the world and we don’t have to fear one another.”
For Herrera, the growth of Cafe Corazon - from a single dream to three Kansas City locations - mirrors the journey Argentina has taken through this tournament.
“To go from nothing to this has been such a blessing,” she said.
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