DOHA, QATAR - 14 JUNE: A general view of the car park next to Al Bidda Tower on the Corniche in ... [+]
Soccer is personal for so many. FIFA projects that close to 5 billion people will tune in to watch the Qatar World Cup, according to U.S. News.
The sport is known as fútbol (or football) and every four years brings together people from all over the world.
Ahead of this year’s Qatar World Cup, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises released a report, The Future Is Fútbol, which highlights soccer’s growth among viewers. According to the report, there has been a 54% increase in the number of soccer fans from 2012 to 2019. The report credits women, young people, and Latinos for contributing to the sport’s increased popularity.
For three Telemundo sportscasters, this World Cup is even more special. Carlota Vizmanos, journalist and host of Telemundo Deportes; Amelia Valverde Villalobos, head coach of the Costa Rica Women’s National Team; and Ana Jurka, co-host of “Zona Mixta,” “En Casa con Telemundo,” and studio host for a variety of special programming; are three of four women leading Telemundo’s World Cup coverage.
“[Covering the World Cup] is a pivotal challenge in my career,” shares Carlota Vizamos. “[This is the] biggest thing I have ever done…It is a privilege to be there, to experience the most important soccer competition in the world from within. It is a gift, and only a few have that opportunity. I am tremendously grateful.”
In 2018, FIFA shared that over 3 billion people tuned in to watch the 2018 World Cup. Journalist Ana Jurka witnessed that World Cup, and many others, firsthand. She has led or supported coverage for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015, the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games, the FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017, and the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.
“When I started [my career] in Orlando, I never thought I was going to get as far as I have come,” explains Jurka. “It was my goal, of course, but when I came to the network, I had a 1-minute segment during the halftimes of our premier league broadcasts, sometimes less than a minute. Little by little, I was given more opportunities, to cover for my colleagues when they were on vacation, sick, or on special assignments. I always try to put my whole heart into everything I do, to be thankful and respectful of my team by doing the best I can. My dream had always been to cover the best sporting events, but I never imagined that I would be one of the main anchors.”
Amelia Valverde Villalobos, head coach of the Costa Rica Women’s National Team, echoes Jurka’s sentiment:
“I never thought that I would dedicate my career to coaching teams, yet soccer and life led me down that path. I realized that this was a noticeably clear career choice as doors started opening for me, and I took this with enthusiasm and responsibility.”
Below the three women share more about their careers, their Latinidad, and their World Cup hopes.
How did you get your start in sports and broadcasting?
Carlota Vizmanos: I specialized in sports journalism by chance. I was working on a television program that was unrelated to sports and I was suddenly presented with the opportunity to be on air at one of the most successful sports radio programs in Spain. It was a no-brainer. I had always loved soccer, so it seemed like a fantastic opportunity. Two years later, I received a call from Real Madrid to work on its own television channel. It was one of the most rewarding professional experiences of my career. And the most important call of them all was the one that I received from Telemundo back in 2017 offering me to go as a reporter to the Confederations Cup in Russia. The door to the U.S. market opened for me and to all the good things that would come as a result: the World Cup in Russia, the French Women's Championship in 2019 (already as a presenter), a variety of FIFA galas, and so on. And finally, the great leap, a permanent position in Miami as a sports presenter, a dream come true that began recently, this very summer.
Amelia Valverde Villalobos: I’ve been passionate about sports for as long as I can remember. I’ve always liked soccer and when I was 15 years old, I was invited to play for my town’s soccer team in San Ramón de Alajuela, Costa Rica. From there, I played for 8 years and then I became a coach, which I have been doing for 15 years now. My television features came about when Telemundo invited me to join them as a game analyst during the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019.
Ana Jurka: It all started 10 years ago when I worked off-camera on news at Telemundo’s Orlando station and the sports reporter left suddenly. One of the senior reporters knew they needed someone, and they recommended me. I remember this reporter telling our director at the time, “Why are you doing castings when Ana is the perfect person for the job? She will not stop talking about sports, give her a chance!” And they did. A year later, Telemundo called me; it has been a ride since then.
What inspired you to pursue sports journalism?
Carlota Vizmanos: What I most enjoyed at the start of my sports journalism journey was sharing positive and enjoyable experiences with people. We live in a world where almost everything on the news is negative: the pandemic, economic crises, natural disasters, recession, you name it. I get to tell people the latest about what is happening with the team they root for. Soccer is joy, it is pure emotion, and it is those 90 minutes in which you disconnect from your day-to-day problems and enjoy your team’s match.
Ana Jurka: I was inspired by how real and unexpected sports are. They are the definition of arduous work and dedication. I also host an entertainment show and I get to see how different one world is from the other. In entertainment, you talk about who is best dressed at an event or who just shared big news with their thousands of followers on social media. In sports, you must do something on the field to get airtime. You do not see a player as the face of the team unless it is game-changing. However, one thing is true; every athlete has a remarkable story to tell.
What advice do you have for other Latinas who one day want to also be involved with the World Cup at this level?
Ana Jurka: Keep falling in love with the game! Not every match will be exciting, but there will always be a story to tell, [so] pay attention to the details.
Amelia Valverde Villalobos: The first thing I would tell other Latinas would be to study the subject, learn, specialize, and prepare to become a soccer expert. From then on, life will lead you to these opportunities. There will always be people along the way who will tell you that you cannot or that women do not have a place in this field, but none of this should discourage you from continuing to flourish.
How has being Latinx impacted the trajectory of your career?
Amelia Valverde Villalobos: As a Latina, I was brought up in a deeply passionate sports-centric culture which taught me that sports can give us more than just results. The Latino community lives and breathes soccer. It’s a way of life. It has been extremely rewarding to become specialized in sports considering my cultural background.
