A bakery in Los Angeles has turned the World Cup atmosphere into a celebration of its own, offering the famous "concha" pastry in designs inspired by the national teams competing in the tournament, drawing fans who queued in long lines to get pieces bearing the colours of their favourite sides.
The Coquiteria by Lavley bakery in Los Angeles has seen strong demand for its concha bread — one of the most celebrated Mexican sweet pastries, typically enjoyed with hot chocolate or coffee.
Baker Erica Lopez designed concha pastries in the shape of the jerseys of the United States, Mexico, and Argentina national teams, alongside designs inspired by World Cup trophies and footballs, in an attempt to give fans a different experience amid the tournament's atmosphere.
Lopez, 42, said she wanted to offer something that suited all fans so that none of them would feel left out, explaining that the idea of combining national team colours with baked goods came naturally given the strong connection the Mexican community has with football.
Lopez, who is originally from Mascota in the Mexican state of Jalisco and has lived in the United States for 23 years, said the overwhelming demand gave her mixed feelings of excitement and anxiety, driven by her desire to meet every customer's expectations.
Leo Ruiz, 15, confirmed that images of the World Cup-inspired concha pastries spread widely across social media platforms, thanks to their designs that attract fans to take and share photos.
Nubia Wilson, 50, bought a box of the pastries decorated in the colours of the Mexico and United States national teams for a birthday party for a child who loves football, saying that the baked goods had become part of the World Cup celebration experience.
Los Angeles is home to millions of people born in Mexico or of Mexican heritage, with strong support for the Mexican national team visible throughout the city as green jerseys spread among the crowds.