A century ago, Argentina was the most prosperous country in Latin America. Inflation and the devaluation of the Argentine peso have reduced people’s incomes, and more than half of the population now lives below the poverty line. In the midst of this crisis, young people from the *villas* (shantytowns) often find in football their only promise of a better future.

This project, developed by photographer Felipe Jácome, combines images of football taken in the *villas* of Buenos Aires with devalued Argentine peso banknotes. The works merge the symbol of crisis with a source of hope for the youth—and with the greatest source of pride for the current world champions: football.

The story behind the work is told in a three-minute video featuring Maxi, a young footballer from Villa 31, who speaks about his neighborhood, how the economic crisis is lived, and what football means in his life.