Canby Brothers Compete at Balloon World Cup

The Canby brothers will travel to Barcelona, Spain, to compete in a “Balloon World Cup,” which will be hosted by an international soccer star and Twitch streamer and inspired by their own viral TikTok videos.

Ibai Llanos, a streamer and esports commentator, and Gerard Piqué, a Spanish professional soccer player for FC Barcelona, announced Monday that they will host a World Cup-style international tournament based on the “balloon game,” a “sport” in which players take turns tapping a balloon to keep it from falling to the ground. According to reports, the tournament will feature 16 countries.

They’ve also attracted the attention of international superstar athletes as well as Spanish internet personalities.

The siblings have been invited to Barcelona to compete in the inaugural tournament (representing the United States) and to be honored as the founders of the international “Balloon League,” according to Antonio Arredondo, a senior at George Fox University and sports writer for The Canby Current.

Antonio said, “I couldn’t even describe how I feel.” “Antonio, I have no idea how hitting a balloon is going to get you a trip to Barcelona,” one of my friends said when he found out. It doesn’t seem real to me.”

It is, however. Diego, a former Canby High School basketball star and current freshman at Linfield College, as well as their father, businessman Sabino Arredondo of the local accounting firm Wilcox Arredondo & Co, are both planning to compete in the tournament in mid-October.

Isabel, a volleyball player on the Canby High volleyball team, is undecided.

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