Furia

Furia by Argentine American author Yamile Saied Méndez follows protagonist Camila Hassan in her senior year as she pursues her dream of playing professional soccer in Argentina, a country and culture that have no room for female fútbol players. The young adult novel was published in 2020 and provides a modern perspective of what it’s like to be an Argentinian woman. This guide refers to the 2020 Algonquin Young Readers edition.

Plot Summary

Seventeen-year-old Camila Hassan lives in Rosario, Argentina, with her self-conscious mother, controlling father, and soccer-star older brother. She tells her family she’s studying for medical school every afternoon, but secretly plays on a women’s soccer team. Camila knows her family would not approve of her playing competitive soccer, but she dreams of playing for a university in the United States and eventually going pro. Her combined skill and flair on the soccer field earn her the nickname “la Furia” (the fury) from her coach and teammates. If all goes well, Camila hopes to lead her team to a victory at the upcoming Sudamericano tournament, which could lead to a contract with an American team.

However, Camila’s focus quickly derails when Diego Ferrari, “El Titán,” comes to town. Camila and Diego grew up together in the same neighborhood. The wildly talented Diego now plays soccer for Juventus, a professional team in Italy, and is home visiting for the week. As a professional soccer player, Diego now has a glamorous life, but he hasn’t forgotten his community in Rosario, nor has he forgotten Camila. He takes Camila on a date, and she is soon torn between her dreams of playing fútbol and her romance with Diego. With Diego living so far away, she feels she can’t have both. How can she pursue a professional career in the United States while Diego plays in Italy?

Diego helps Camila get a job as an English tutor for underprivileged kids in the neighborhood. He’s convinced they can make a long-distance relationship work. Meanwhile, at home, Camila’s father suggests she use her relationship with Diego to get as much money and fame while she can, suggesting that Diego will inevitably lose interest and leave her. Camila’s realistic perspective triumphs over her dreams of a life with Diego, and she breaks things off with him.

At her next soccer game, Camila meets her coach’s sister, Gabi, who has connections to women’s soccer teams in the States. She plays well but gets distracted when Diego shows up and cheers her from the sidelines, and she twists her ankle. After the game, Camila agrees to go out with him one more time; he’s kind to her, complimenting her soccer skills, nursing her ankle, and confessing that he loves her. Even though he leaves for Italy the next day, they agree to try a long-distance relationship.

Diego and Camila text and call every day, and Camila focuses on recovering her ankle in time for the tournament. She finally comes clean to her mom about her soccer team and her dream of playing professionally in the United States. As the Sudamericano tournament approaches, some of the players on Camila’s team drop out, and the team joins forces with a rival team to have enough players to fill the positions. In the week leading up to the tournament, Camila’s father comes home angry. Camila stands up to him, and he hits her and smashes the expensive phone Diego gave her. The police intervene before his violence escalates further, and her father is arrested. Diego drops everything in Italy to come see Camila after he hears what happened. He expects Camila to come to Italy with him, but she can’t; her tournament is this weekend. Diego gives her an ultimatum, asking her to choose between him and her dream; she chooses fútbol.

Camila’s team doesn’t win the tournament, but they play beautifully, enough for the team to get noticed. Camila is offered a tryout for a team in Utah and makes it. Against all odds, she is making her dream a reality.