The Love Latinos Have for Fútbol is Immense – And It’s Time We Honor It

The Love Latinos Have for Fútbol is Immense – And It’s Time We Honor It

All of us are currently experiencing the ultimate soccer season thanks to the World Cup. With over five billion people expected to watch the World Cup in Qatar this year, there is no denying that this sport has a lot of power.  

In fact, it’s a lifeline for many – including those from the Latino community. Even when the World Cup isn’t on, Latinos are drawn to the popular sport. In 2017, for instance, Latinos in the United States accounted for 68 percent of the fútbol viewership. Meaning, we made up the majority of the viewership.  

Most Latinos will have a story of their own about how fútbol impacted their lives. Let’s take Hispanic Marketing Strategy Lead at T-Mobile, Diego Osuna, for instance, who BELatina News interviewed recently. 

 

 Diego Osuna, LinkedIn 

Osuna recently told us, while we kept up with the Brazil game in the background, how being bicultural impacted his life. Being Colombian-American, he always struggled with fitting in wherever he was. When he was in Colombia, he was too “American,” and when he was in the US, he was too “Colombian.” He longed for that feeling of belonging. Many people who are first and second generation in their families can attest to this. However, that changed when he started traveling with his father to Bogota during the World Cup seasons.  

“My dad was a student at the University of Florida, so I spent a lot of time going back and forth. So, my first World Cup that I can remember, I was in Bogota, and then I started going to la tienda, like people my age. I would buy the stickers and it was like a way for me to connect with Colombian culture.” 

He recalls feeling a little discombobulated with his identity before he started trading the fútbol stickers. 

“That became my thing. It was a thing that would connect me to me and my family, my cousins who had grown up in Colombia. It felt like a great avenue to the culture.” 

Years later, he lives in Seattle, Washington, but he still remembers the emotional contribution fútbol had in his life.  

He honors those lived experiences whenever he can – even at work.  

Bring Home La Fiesta during the World Cup through the eyes of Latinos 

For this year’s World Cup, he makes up part of the team that created the T-Mobile campaign, #BringLaFiestaHome. This campaign allows the world to see how some Latinos experience the World Cup through viewing parties. Our amigo and “BEReal with Benjamin” host, Benjamin Perez, will actually be hosting one of these watch parties in California. 

Osuna mentions how he and T-Mobile wanted to connect with the Latino community in a unique way.  

“​​It’s like telling a story of how we celebrate [the World Cup], which is so much fun,” he said.  

He credits the hundreds of T-Mobile employees and ambassadors who are spearheading this event and other Latino-related initiatives. He enjoys seeing everything unravel in an authentic manner.  

“The ability to bring out and tell the full story of the value that we bring to our Latino customers gets me excited. I know that’s kind of nerdy, but our campaign tagline is Acostúmbrate a Recibir Más, that encapsulates what being a customer of T-Mobile is all about. It’s like, you get more things.” 

Their commitment for Latinos to be heard and understood is so strong that they even ensure there are people who speak Spanish in their stores. People can also visit es.tmobile.com for information in Spanish as well. This is important information to share with our mamás, tías, abuelas y toda la familia.  

More is key 

T-Mobile worked alongside a group of songwriters to create a unique song as the backdrop for the Acostúmbrate a Recibir Más campaign. Latina artist, Sofia Reyes, is the one who brought the track, named “Más,”  to life.  

T-Mobile is making sure they understand Latinos and are trying to be as transparent as possible. Osuna explained that their prices for home internet remain the same, and includes benefits such as Netflix and discounts on YouTube TV. 

Getting ready for Game Day 

Shortly after our call ended, we were met with the news that the Brazil game we were following was over. And that Brazil had been eliminated. Though this was devastating news, Osuna is a big Messi fan as he’s been following his career for years and hopes Argentina will gain victory in this World Cup.  

This Sunday, head over to Perez the Advisor’s Instagram for updates on the game as he shows what it means to #BringLaFiestaHome. 

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