Insiders' Sports: Santiago Alvarado, A Life Dedicated To Soccer And The Pursuit Of A Dream

By Carlos Ramírez Zago

From an early age, soccer was more than just a hobby for Santiago Alvarado Delgadillo. Born into a family where love for the sport was evident, his parents and grandfather introduced him to a world that would later become his passion and life goal. From the first televised matches to the moment he received his first ball, his bond with soccer grew stronger. His childhood was spent in a subdivision with ample green areas, where day after day, after returning home from school, he would go out to play with his neighbors. But his love for the game was not limited to casual encounters. At the age of five, his parents enrolled him in the academy of Club Celaya, where he took his first formal steps in soccer. However, after two years of training, the academy closed, forcing the family to look for new opportunities.

It was then that fate put in his path Hebert Birriel, a former professional player in Argentina, who recommended Santiago to continue his training with Enrique Luna. Under his tutelage, the young soccer player continued to develop his skills while also playing for his school team. But it was at the age of 11 or 12 when his career took an important turn: a Monterrey affiliate held scouting sessions at his school and invited him to join Rayados Celaya. The discipline, demand and level of competitiveness increased considerably.

Under the guidance of coach Humberto Cortés, he grew not only as a player, but also as a person.  In this environment, he learned the value of effort, strategy and teamwork. Rayados Celaya was a winning team, and that winning mentality marked him deeply. But life had other plans. For work reasons, his family moved to San Miguel de Allende, which meant leaving his team. However, this change brought with it an unexpected opportunity: a third division club was in the process of forming and he was invited to join. At the age of 15, Santiago began a new stage, full of challenges and trials that tested his mental fortitude.

During these years in the third division, his professional career began to take shape. His first great experience was with the San Miguel team, where he was fortunate to share the field with talented teammates and a key coach in his development: Omar Loeza. Eventually, his performance caught the attention of an old acquaintance, Hebert Birriel, now director of youth development at Club Celaya. At his invitation, Santiago returned to the club, this time with the third division team.

Celaya represented a different experience. The pressure and level of demand were greater, but this only served to make him grow even more. He learned from the players around him and the coaching staff. However, circumstances unrelated to soccer forced him to return to San Miguel, where he played for another year and a half before concluding his stage in the third division. During this time, a new opportunity came his way: a soccer course in Barcelona. It was at the prestigious Marcet academy where he was able to train and compete with players from all over the world. This experience not only allowed him to improve his level of play, but also to obtain a valuable evaluation from European coaches. Today, Santiago is in Argentina, thanks to the invitation of Martín Severo, a renowned player representative. His goal is clear: to take advantage of this one-year project to learn, improve and consolidate himself in professional soccer, with the objective of making it his way of life.

But his dream goes much further. His greatest aspiration is to play in the first division and become a reference. Moreover, he wants to represent his country and be an example of perseverance and discipline. He is inspired by figures such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Chicharito, two players whose history of effort and dedication have shown that with discipline, mentality and self-confidence, any goal is achievable. Off the field, Santiago defines himself as a sociable, disciplined and focused person. His values come from the education he received from his family and the good friendships he has cultivated. This mental strength is what has kept him steady on his path, despite adversity. Aware of the importance of role models, he has been able to choose those that motivate him to be better every day.

“My biggest inspiration as a soccer player is my family and my friends as they have given me many reasons to keep going and not leave the dream aside,” said Santiago. The road to success in soccer is not an easy one, but Santiago is determined to walk. Each challenge overcome has brought him one step closer to his goal, and with his passion, and his story still has many pages to write.

Carlos Ramirez Zago is a young man from San Miguel who is passionate about sports. "You are worth what your voice is worth and what you know how to do with it."