Woman ‘took’ her late dad to a USA vs. Mexico soccer match, keeping a promise they made 20 years ago

Aileen Castañeda-Leibenguth (u/woofles_fries505) from Texas grew up loving soccer, well, all thanks to her fútbol enthusiast father, Juan Castañeda. When she was barely 8, her dad promised that he would take her to the match one day. Sadly, Juan couldn't fulfill his promise, as he passed away a few years ago. But that didn't stop Aileen from enjoying a fútbol match with her daddy dearest, and it was all possible because of her loving husband, Mark. Aileen shared the incredible story on Reddit in July 2025.

"This past Sunday was the Gold Cup Mexico vs. USA. My dad and I had been dreaming about going to one of the games, specifically with these two countries," Aileen wrote. So, to honor her father's ardent love for football, she had decided to spend her Sunday watching the game on TV. Aileen called her husband, Mark, who had been working out of town, and informed him about celebrating her dad's birthday by eating pizza and watching his favorite movies. Mark knew how much his wife loved football, especially because it was something she shared with her father. So, after hanging up, he immediately began searching for details of the Gold Cup Mexico vs. USA match.

"My husband told me to go to the match instead. He convinced me by saying, 'I will be fulfilling the promise and you’ll be celebrating his birthday by doing something he loved doing with you,'" Aileen shared. They lived near Dallas, and the game was scheduled at the NRG Stadium in Houston, which is a 3-4 hour drive from her place. But, thankfully, she agreed to her husband's proposal and went there with a picture of her father. "I’m tearing up writing this, but honestly, it was a great experience. It felt like my dad was there," Aileen wrote, as she posed in the stadium while holding her father's photograph. The experience was surreal, particularly because Mexico won, and Aileen's parents were immigrants from that country. 

Reacting to Aileen's beautiful post, u/ineffable_my_dear commented, "I love this so much. What a sweet husband. I lost my dad four years ago, too, and it’s a surreal existence without him. Sending lots of hugs. I’m sure your pa would be so delighted! Yay, Mexico!" Similarly, u/sparklypinkstuff said, "Okay, I’m bawling now. This is such a beautiful story and an incredible way to honor your dad’s memory. I am so glad you had that experience. Your husband sounds like an amazing person."

Echoing the sentiments, u/bi34ce confessed, "This is why I still have hope in this world. People like you who never give up in life are the best. I feel happy for you, for accomplishing your promise. I may not know you, but I feel proud for you." On the other hand, u/happy_fat_cat commented, "This is so beautiful, and bless you, your husband, and your father. I know not everyone is so lucky, but I too know what an absolute gift it is to have a father who is loving and protective and helps us to be strong and learn how to be resilient adults. I am sorry for your loss, but our loved ones truly never leave us and our hearts. His love for you will always be there wherever you go. What a wonderful tribute to him, and I hope you both had a great time at the game. Going to call my dad now and tell him how much I love him. Sending you all my internet hugs."