When you think of Venice Beach, you tend to associate this globally recognized stretch of California coastline with a certain idea of freedom. A place shaped by myth, where basketballs, weights, and surfboards have, for decades, stood out against the calm, expansive backdrop of the Pacific.

Look closer, though, and you begin to see something else. Within this fluid, cosmopolitan environment, the Beautiful Game has found its place, emerging in one of its more unexpected settings and becoming part of the area’s everyday rhythm. You see it in movement, in bodies responding to sound and space, in sequences that feel almost choreographed: the living language of Venice Beach Football Club. Founded by former footballer Tim Walsh & partner Dillon Chapman, the club has grown into a unique presence within the broader football landscape: one that is helping reshape how the game is experienced in the United States.

It is a meeting point for cultures and stories. A space where personal histories and cultural backgrounds intersect, where tight technical play coexists with the open horizon of the coast. Inclusive by nature, shaped by those who pass through it, from local heroes to global myths, it has also become a compelling subject for visual storytelling, as seen in the work of Australian photographer Daniel Mazzarella. At a moment when the World Cup is set to arrive in the United States, Venice Beach Football Club offers a particularly revealing lens through which to observe the game’s evolving identity.

We explore it through a conversation with the mastermind who has shaped and continues to develop this community, alongside the photographer who has chosen to document it through his own visual perspectives.

What football represents for you and how it first became part of your lives?

Tim Walsh: “I’m not entirely sure how I first became a fan, but I believe it was during the 1994 World Cup in the USA. No one in my family ever played football; I was essentially an outcast who, somehow, was drawn to it. I witnessed the MLS grow and always viewed football as a portal into the rest of the world. Whether through geography or culture, it appealed to me in a way other sports couldn’t. By the age of ten, I already felt like a footballer through and through.”

Daniel Mazzarella: “My Italian roots made football an inevitable destiny for me. My father was a Juventus fan, and I’m the youngest of four boys. I was kicking a ball the moment I could walk. My earliest clear memories are of the 1990 World Cup, names like Totò Schillaci and Roberto Baggio still resonate with me today. Growing up in Australia, we had to wake up at 4:00 AM to watch the matches. I can say I truly experienced those ‘Notti Magiche’, and I cherish those vivid memories dearly. I was raised playing football at school, the game was woven into everything I did; it was a constant thread in my life.” 

Do you have one footballer that inspired you the most along the way?

Tim Walsh: “I fell in love with the Arsenal team of the late 90s. Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry, and Nicolas Anelka were the ones who really captivated me. That era of Arsenal defines my favorite players of all time.”

Daniel Mazzarella: “I’m a bit torn. As a Napoli fan, Maradona holds a very special place in my heart, but I have to say Baggio. He’s the king.”

Tim, how did the Venice Beach Football Club community come to life, and what philosophy underpins it?

Tim Walsh: “Venice Beach FC started in 2016 after myself and Dillon had met playing in local amateur and semi professional teams in Santa Monica. We both were done with the soulless men’s leagues — no music, no vibe, no soul. Just paying weekly dues to some power-tripping ref who’d kick you out for not wearing shin guards while you got hacked by some frustrated accountant trying to prove he used to be somebody. It was miserable and not going to be how we experienced the sport we loved. 

We decided to find our place amongst a busy boardwalk on a cracked, filthy concrete handball court. We organized a crew of washed-up talent and decided to create the most ideal situation to enjoy the game, next to the beach. In the beginning we were dragging in tourists, homeless dudes, and whoever else was around just to get a game going. A couple Italian tourists, a Brazilian would jump in, a few girls would play, then the next thing you know, a crowd was watching. 

We named that dirty little slab of concrete the ‘Estadio De Dogtown’ and built our own game. No permission. No fees. Just football, music, and the homies.

When the local kids started showing up, it hit us: Venice had zero football leagues that were turning local kids into fans of the game, let alone players. At the time the only options were overpriced, low-quality corporate leagues in Santa Monica. No foundation, no heart. We wanted to create a breeding ground of future talent and keep it as cheap and accessible as possible. We created local youth leagues, teams, and welcome the youth to compete against the adults always. We’d do it our way — loud, raw, open to everybody. Music blasting, no restrictions. We documented the whole chaotic process and threw it out into the world on social media. 

The next thing you know, Mbappé is turning up on our concrete. The football world started coming to us. 

I was always amazed by how lower division clubs in places like Thailand or Australia represented their neighborhoods in such unique ways. Something you don’t often see in the US. Then, in countries like Italy you can also experience how the game is deeply layered through multiple divisions. Here it’s definitely different. So, our aim was to create something with a local spirit that would celebrate the best part of this sport, going beyond mere competition. We wanted to leverage football to generate a real impact on people’s lives. 

As a player in a professional environment, so much of the focus is on yourself. constantly proving and competing even amongst your own teammates for time and contracts. Over the years, my heart shifted and something inside me wanted to use my ability and experience in the game to empower others. How could I take that experience and transcend the competition but find a way to improve lives and opportunities for others beyond my own. At its core, the whole club is about people. 

Following this philosophy it grew organically. One day, there might be eight of us playing a pickup game, and the next day, stars like Ronaldinho or Weston McKennie might show up. It’s been quite romantic how everything unfolded over the last decade, it’s become something truly special.”

Daniel, can you tell us about your photographic journey? And how and why did you come to document the Venice Beach Football Club?

Daniel Mazzarella: “Photography wasn’t my initial career choice. I originally wanted to be a physiotherapist just to be around sports. Eventually, a friend of my brother, a graphic designer, suggested that I try photography. So, I got into it. I studied in Melbourne and then moved to London, where I worked primarily in fashion as an assistant and digital tech. Over time, I realized fashion photography wasn’t my true passion. When I moved back to Australia, I began working on my own, shooting more advertising. Eventually, I was lucky enough to get the chance to work with the Australian National football team. 

I hadn’t previously considered sports photography as a creative path. However, I saw an opportunity where I could merge my fashion experience, my love for sport, and my passion for photography. I’ve been fully immersed in the sports world for over ten years, and I absolutely love it. It’s been incredible to watch the industry evolve. It’s becoming increasingly artistic and expressive. Seeing the caliber of work being produced in the sports world today is what keeps me truly inspired. 

The VBFC came about through a chance encounter on a Nike campaign shoot with the Socceroos: someone on set recommended I check it out while I was heading to LA, one connection led to another, and when I arrived I was immediately struck by how welcoming everyone was.

As Tim mentioned, football is a door that opens up the world. I’ve traveled and met people with whom I shared no common language, yet we could communicate through the game of football. VBFC perfectly embodies that: a multicultural group from all walks of life set against an amazing backdrop. It was my dream to capture that. Coming from Australia, where we have our own challenges with the sport, seeing what the team has created at Venice Beach was incredibly inspiring. I could only dream of having a place like that to play every week.”

Building on that, if you were to describe the vibes that define the Venice Beach Football Club community, how would you put them into words?

Tim Walsh: “In the beginning, it was a lot of a case of asking for forgiveness rather than permission from the city and the park authorities. Many people weren’t naturally supportive of football at first, but over the years, they witnessed the community grow. They saw men and women playing together and kids showing up every week to score on adults, becoming little superstars in their own right. It became a collective effort involving everyone: locals, tourists, young, and old. The real strength of the VBFC is that people feel they are part of something bigger than themselves. It has an irreplaceable and expressive family feel.”

Daniel Mazzarella: “It’s a hot pot of different cultures: a true community, open to every walk of life, unified by a passion for football. It truly doesn’t matter how young, old or good you are. There is such a warmth there; people like Eyoel and Vinny are so welcoming. With music playing in the background and the upbeat energy that this place radiates, the result is such a vibrant atmosphere. A real vibe.”

Tim, looking back at your global career, how does it feel to have evolved from a professional player into someone who has redefined football as a deeper and meaningful experience through VBFC?

Tim Walsh: “I feel very fortunate. When it comes to football, I’ve always had a normal amount of talent, what set me apart was the incredible hard work I put into it: I was the biggest football ‘nerd’. That passion opened doors for me and my friends. When people I grew up with see what I’m doing now, they say it makes perfect sense, even if I didn’t realize it while it was happening. I owe everything to this sport. It took me around the world and introduced me to my heroes, people I’ve even been able to interact and work with, which has been incredibly special. In America, football can often feel very commercial, something created by marketing rather than history. Being able to create something that authentically represents American football, something that people around the world can relate to, is very special. The goal now is to keep growing and impacting as many lives and careers as possible.”

Daniel, what most inspired your eye during the making of this reportage? And from a purely aesthetic perspective, which details struck you the most?

Daniel Mazzarella: “I didn’t really know what to expect when I got there, but the entire area blew my mind. Even before I saw the players, I was at the skate park thinking how incredible the place was. Aesthetically, the ‘VBFC wall’ is a highlight: the way the sun hits it at sunset turns it into a blank canvas that any artist would struggle to resist. I really wanted to capture these amazing graphic visuals and those fleeting moments that this scenery offered to my eyes. This inspired my ‘movement series’. The combination of that backdrop and the unique characters who inhabit it was simply exciting for me as a photographer.”

With the World Cup on American soil approaching, what kind of message can the VBFC community carry and, at the same time, what can this visual project convey?

Daniel Mazzarella: “On a small scale, I would say that the VBFC captures the essence of what the World Cup is really about: a global game that brings a hub of different people together. It’s a microcosm of an international connection where it doesn’t matter who you are and where you come from. That is the beauty of football, it connects us all. Through the lens, I wanted to express something more personal. I’ve always seen the movement of a footballer the way you might watch a ballerina: there’s a grace in the way a player caresses and strikes the ball that I find deeply beautiful. Venice Beach gave me the perfect canvas to explore that, using the light, the backdrop, and those frozen moments to create images with real drama and mood. Alongside that, I wanted to honour the characters themselves through portraiture, because ultimately, it’s the people who make VBFC what it is.”

Tim Walsh: “I agree. The project is a small example of what we’ll see this summer. Venice Beach is going to be the heart of the world for football fans’ activities. We will be doing something every day for every game. The Federation Headquarters will be right across the street from our clubhouse. For someone like me, who set out to bring football to Venice Beach, it feels like the game will finally have arrived.”