There is one player in the NFL who proudly wears the Spanish flag on his helmet, he is the only one to do so in what is the most popular competition in the United States. He is Jake Ferguson, who spoke to MARCA via video call in an exclusive interview. After the success of the NFL in Spain with its arrival at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, and after it was confirmed that American soccer will return to Madrid this year, Ferguson looks back on his story, his link with Spain, and his collaboration with the wine brand Cria Cuervos, with which he has launched a special edition with his name in the United Statesand what it would mean for him to be able to play a game here, in what he also feels is his home.
Jake has never hidden his love for Spain, which is why he proudly displays his roots, partly because of his Spanish ancestry. Ferguson’s connection to the country is not superficial. His great-grandparents on both his mother’s and father’s side are from Asturias, a region for which he has a special affection despite not having been there yet. His family history is marked by emigration to the United States, specifically to Pennsylvania, and by generations who kept that link with their country of origin alive
Spanish sentiment
That legacy is not an abstract concept. Ferguson grew up hearing stories about his grandfather and great-grandfather. “I was passionate about hearing the stories they told me about Spain, I feel proud,” he said. The constant trips they made between the two countries, and even keeping some family traditions such as sausage making. It was this heritage that led him to research his family tree and make a symbolic but powerful decision: to carry the Spanish flag on his helmet. “The feeling and love was so strong for my roots that I spoke to the NFL and said listen, this is what I want to do,” he added.
I was passionate about listening to the stories I was told about Spain, I feel proud
A gesture that, he says, was much celebrated by his family on the other side of the Atlantic and that reinforces his desire to travel soon to learn more about his roots. The stories of his grandfather and great-grandfather, who traveled between Spain and the United States, have fueled that curiosity and attachment that he now wants to materialize in a longer visit
A pending dream
Although he has not yet had the opportunity to play a game in Spain, Ferguson does not hide his excitement. The player admits that playing here would be something special. “I would definitely love it, I hope it happens,” he explains, hinting that he does not know when that opportunity will come, but that it is in his future plans. The possibility of the NFL returning to the Bernabeu only fuels that desire: it would be the perfect setting to unite his professional career with a very important part of his identity. In addition, he says that, if the time comes, he would take advantage of the trip to reconnect with his family, as a kind of return to his roots. “I don’t know when it will come, but what I do know is that I would love to experience it,” he said.
The NFL in Spain
The Dallas Cowboys player values very positively the impact that the NFL is having in Spain. He is surprised and excited to see full stadiums, as happened at the Santiago Bernabeu, even in a country where the sport is still not so well established. That is why he encourages Spanish fans to get closer to this sport, to experience it live and to get involved in a culture that, according to him, has a lot to offer. And he issues a clear invitation: those who can, go and see the Cowboys… and take the Spanish flag.
In addition, he has recently decided to launch in the United States a product as representative as Spanish wine. To this end, he has collaborated with CriaCuervos in a special edition with his name. “I’m very excited about it,” said the player, explaining that he wants to introduce it gradually: first in Texas, where he currently plays with the Dallas Cowboys, and later expand it throughout the country. “I want to bring a little bit of my heritage, show what Spain is really like and show that there are amazing things there. My family and I have tried it and it’s delicious.”
I want to bring a little bit of my heritage, to show what Spain is really like and to show that there are amazing things there
Intact sporting ambition
In sporting terms, Ferguson is facing a period of maturity in the NFL. With several years of experience under his belt, he has a clear goal: to win the Super Bowl.He trusts in his team’s offensive potential and in Dak Prescott’s leadership, whom he considers one of the best quarterbacks in the league. In addition, after renewing his contract, he is convinced that there is no better place to continue growing than Dallas, where he says he feels privileged. “I don’t want to be anywhere else,” he said.
His immediate agenda is marked by preparation and training for the upcoming season, but on the horizon is a trip that has been pending for years. The tight end plans to return to Spain with his family, visit Asturias and delve deeper into the story he has inherited from generation to generation. A trip that, beyond tourism, will have an emotional meaning: to close the circle between his roots and his present. And who knows if, at some point, he will also do it on the pitch of the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
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