Santiago Muñez is a skilled Association football. The son of a gardener who lives in a barrio section of Los Angeles, Santiago works as a busboy in a Chinese restaurant and helps with his father's gardening business. His ultimate dream is to play association football professionally. Due to his poverty and the fact that he plays solely for a club made up of Hispanics from a local car wash, he feels his chances are slim. Santiago is noticed by Glen Foy, a former Newcastle United F.C. player who works as a car mechanic but still has ties to his old team. Glen arranges to get Santiago a trial (US tryout) with Newcastle United, who recently signed talented new player Gavin Harris. Needing to get to England, Santiago begins to save his money in an old shoe, but his father finds the stash and takes it to buy a truck to allow them to work for themselves, believing that Santiago's dreams are hopeless. His dream is not lost though, as his grandmother sells off her jewellery to buy him a ticket to England.