Meanwhile, the immigrants and the refugees think that being seen playing soccer may help them gain acceptance in the US.
“I feel like some people just see immigrants as these kind of people that have nowhere else to be and they come in their country and don’t do anything,” Deji said.
“There’s a lot of American people that watch us, just passing by, and they see immigrants that talk and be happy and just having a good time.
“I feel like [it] just painted different pictures about immigrants in their mind.”
Anthony’s own family history in Maine stretches back nine generations, and he believes the benefits of the community at Kennedy Park are clear to see.
“Having a place where people of very different cultural backgrounds, different nationalities, different generations can all intermingle and connect and become friends is just really special – especially in a state like Maine that overall is not that diverse,” he said.
The American dream might not be exactly as the immigrants had hoped, but with the World Cup being held in the US, some are still allowing themselves to dream big.
“Having [World Cup] games a couple of states away from me, I never experienced something like this before,” Deji said.
“There’s a fire in me burning to be part of that.
“And that’s one of my dreams, just to be on the world stage.”
George also harbours his own ambitions of playing professionally, representing DR Congo.
With the Leopards having reached the last 32 at their first World Cup in over half a century, there has been plenty to celebrate for the Kennedy Park players during the tournament.
Because whether it is the Fifa World Cup or a game in the park, football is the same wherever you are from.