Furia

Camila sleeps fitfully, heartbroken over losing Diego and the over the hurt she saw in his eyes. When she wakes the morning of the tournament, she does not feel rested. Warming up for the first game, the team dons black wristbands in memory of Eda. As the game begins, Camila feels tense, and la Furia is nowhere to be found. However, as she continues playing, she stops “fighting the memories” and channels her pain over losing Diego onto the field (323). The team plays well against their talented Brazilian opponents, and the game ends in a tie. They play again later that day, and Camila worries that her leg feels tight. Even so, she plays well, scoring a goal and helping her team reach a victory.

Before their game on the second day of the tournament, Coach Alicia and Gabi introduce Jill Ryan, a National Women’s discovery scout. The stakes are particularly high for this game, which they must win to advance. Camila is full of nerves as the game begins but hears her mom cheering from the sidelines and feels ready to shine. However, the other team sends several expert goals into the net, and at halftime, Camila’s team is losing 3-0. Coach Alicia encourages the team to play with joy, and they do. They soon make up the difference and are tied, 3-3, but a penalty kick at the last minute costs them the game. After the match, the girls are heartbroken, but know they played their best. Jill Ryan approaches Camila to compliment her skill and promises her, “This won’t be the last time we talk, Furia” (337).

The weeks following the tournament pass uneventfully. Camila’s heart still aches over losing Diego, especially when she sees him on the news with reporters talking about his success and potential. Camila and Roxana decide to try out for women’s teams in Buenos Aires in January after they don’t receive any offers from scouts. When Camila’s teammate sends a highlight video of Camila on the soccer field, she decides to send it to Gabi Tapia, feeling she doesn’t have anything to lose. On her 18th birthday, January 6, Camila gets a call from Gabi. She invites Camila to join a new team in the US national league, the Utah Royals.

Camila can’t believe she is finally realizing her dreams. As she’s packing, she finds the estampita of La Difunta Correa and goes to a roadside shrine to pay homage to the saint. Camila says her goodbyes to Karen and the other children at El Buen Pastor, and the day she leaves, her whole neighborhood gathers to see her off.

Seven months later, Camila plays for the Royals, but she hasn’t forgotten Rosario. Her life feels like a dream; the team practices on a beautiful field, and fans cheering in the crowd wear her jersey. Diego still hasn’t left her mind. He still plays for Juventus, and the press constantly sings his praises. Before her games, Camila thinks of all of the women in her family line. They give her the inner fire that fuels her. When Camila leaves the field after her game, two young girls approach her for an autograph, and she gives it happily, encouraging them to “be proud to play like a girl” (348). As she gets in her car, she reads a message from Diego. He still thinks of her and dreams of her, and he realizes now that he was wrong to make her choose between him and her future career. He apologizes and says his team is coming to Utah soon; he wants to see her. She dials his number and hears his voice on the other end of the line.