MAN v FAT Soccer has now been up and running for six months in Florida and the guys there have achieved great success, with over 500lbs of excess weight lost by our communities in Broward, Tampa Bay and now South Miami.
The Florida guys will be joined by men in Orlando later this year, along with new launches in New York and Texas, as 2025 sees the Soccer leagues pop up elsewhere across the US.
What has already become clear in the first few months in America is that our leagues out there are attracting men from a range of cultural backgrounds – all with a huge passion for soccer and an interest in improving their health and wellbeing.
In our Culture Club series of articles, we plan to catch up with our Soccer members to find out more about their time with MAN v FAT so far and their pride in representing their own countries and heritage in the group.
First up is Jorge Urquiaga, a MAN v FAT Broward member since Season One, who is flying the flag for Peru!
1) Firstly, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your life away from MAN v FAT Soccer?
I’m 34, born and raised in Lima, Peru. I arrived in the U.S. in 2001 at age 10. Now, I’m happily married and a proud father to a soccer-loving 7-year-old. I work as a highway/bridge/airport construction project manager. I love football, Peruvian food, burgers, pizza…. probably why I’m writing this!
2) How have you found your experience in the program so far?
My experience in the program has been great. I started on day one of the Broward opening matches, and it’s been fun feeling that competitiveness, not just on the pitch, but also off it, by focusing on weight loss and becoming healthier, as well as developing healthier habits.
I was blessed to land on the white team, Real McRib! We finished the first season as champs and also won the Season 1 League Cup, so I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction!
3) What has it been like meeting men like you on the program and how has the community evolved so far?
It’s been really cool meeting guys around my age, some younger some older, and connecting with them over our shared love of soccer and our common goal to lose weight and live longer. It’s been cool to also meet other Peruvians in the Broward group. As for Real McRib, our recent active roster is very international! Featuring Tim (Germany), Javier (Argentina), Nico (Argentina), Francesco (Italy), Baseer (England), Moreno (Italy), Gus (a native Miamian and the first MAN v FAT Soccer transfer on record, who just moved to South Miami for an undisclosed fee!), and myself (Peru).
4) You’re representing the Peruvian community in Broward – tell us more about the Peruvians in Miami and their passion for football?
It’s an honor to represent my fellow Peruvians in Broward. We have a strong connection to football, music, and of course, our food. After a match, you’ll usually find us grabbing a bite, maybe ceviche or lomo saltado, and wherever you go, you’ll hear good music. That tradition follows us to South Florida (or anywhere we go), where the Peruvian community plays soccer on weekends, weekdays, or whenever we get the chance.
5) What makes Peruvians unique, especially when it comes to sport?
Peruvians are very passionate, and our culture is deeply woven into everything we do, especially football. Everyone grows up playing it, whether we’re kicking a paper ball or training with a team. While our national team hasn’t had a lot of recent success, we did make it back to the World Cup in 2018 after 36 years, and the entire country celebrated. Schools canceled classes, and bosses gave days off on match days. That excitement really showed the world how much we love our football.
When we play, we like to show our own Peruvian style of flair, or as we say, chocolate! (you have to say it in Spanish!). If I’m not mistaken, we won the 2018 FIFA Fan Awards for the crazy support we showed the National Team throughout the qualifiers, and the World Cup itself.
6) Which soccer teams do you support and how often do you get to follow the Peruvian national team?
I’ve supported Manchester United since 1998, ever since I played FIFA 98 on my PlayStation. At the time, they had the best ratings, and I fell in love with the team. It’s been amazing watching their triumphs over the years, and now I’m still supporting them through their (seemingly never-ending) challenges.
I also support Inter Miami, our local club.When it comes to the Peru national team, I watch every match, no matter who we’re facing, even if it’s Brazil or Argentina and the odds are DEFINITELY NOT in our favor. The first (and so far only) time I saw them in person was against Croatia in March 2018 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. It was such a beautiful memory: Peru 2, Croatia 0, plenty of chocolate on display if you’d like the visual definition of the earlier mentioned “chocolate”, just watch the highlights!
Go for it! You will more than likely find a Peruvian anywhere you go, and regardless of your background, you’ll meet like-minded people who share the same goals: to lose weight, get healthier, and enjoy some great football. Trust me, the game only gets better as you shed the pounds!
A big thanks to Jorge for his time in answering these questions! You can join him at MAN v FAT Broward – or sign up for any of our other Soccer clubs – by visiting www.manvfatsoccer.com!
