Homeless cleared from World Cup path in Los Angeles

Makeshift shelters line a dusty alley in Los Angeles's Lincoln Heights neighborhood, a stark contrast to the city's glitzier image. Residents like Nancy Gutierrez and Krystal Delgado live in these precarious structures, part of the over 40,000 homeless individuals in the city.

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Now we are being moved out for the World Cup. We are being treated very badly.

Delgado, who has been homeless for years after losing her job, describes the meager safety net available in the U.S. She voices anger over the city's actions, stating, "Now we are being moved out for the World Cup. We are being treated very badly."

While offered a spot in a city-run emergency shelter, Delgado refuses. She recounts a previous stay where her belongings were stolen and describes the shelters as dangerous and dehumanizing. "I'd rather be under the sky than in an emergency shelter. The situation there is terrible. People are treated like cattle," she says.

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I'd rather be under the sky than in an emergency shelter. The situation there is terrible. People are treated like cattle.

Gutierrez, upon learning the journalists are in town for the World Cup, expresses a longing to experience the event. "I would like, just once in my life, to go to a big match and feel the atmosphere," she says. She also shares her hope for the U.S. team's success, marveling at the athletes' dedication, even joking about their pre-game restrictions. The exorbitant prices of World Cup tickets, reaching thousands of dollars, leave her astonished.

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I would like, just once in my life, to go to a big match and feel the atmosphere.