The 1970s were a golden age for soccer in Peru, one that Peruvian-American Latino USA producer Janice Llamoca heard about while growing up in Los Angeles in the ’90s. The Peruvian soccer team went to three World Cups in that era. But after that, the team did poorly for decades —failing to qualify for the World Cup year after year. At the same time, the country experienced economic and political crises. For the people, the message was: Peru just isn’t good enough.

But then in 2017, for the first time in 36 years, Peru, with the help of coach Ricardo Gareca and Peru’s star player Paolo Guerrero, the Peruvian squad earned the final spot to compete in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Here, Peruvian-American NPR’s Latino USA producer Janice Llamoca heads to Russia to experience watching Peru for the first time ever in her lifetime in a World Cup.

Also, Tanya Saracho tells Latino USA about her Starz show “Vida,” and a new installment of “How I Made It” featuring Aterciopelados.