With World Cup in Guadalajara, families of Mexico's disappeared turn loved ones into soccer stickers

With Guadalajara hosting World Cup matches, families of Mexico's disappeared are turning posters bearing missing relatives into World Cup–themed stickers. The project, organized by Luz de Esperanza in Jalisco, depicts young men in Mexico's green jersey next to a FIFA-like logo and the label DESAPARECIDO, highlighting about 135,000 missing across the country. Notable cases include Christian Emmanuel Rivera, disappeared August 2023, and Jaime Adrián Ramírez, disappeared September 2020. As fans converge on the city during the tournament, families hope public visibility prompts information leads. The campaign contrasts official spending on the World Cup with local search efforts and the burden families bear in searching, often with limited government support.