For Fabio Meza, football is more than a sport. It is a bridge between cultures, identity and personal history. Born in the United States to Paraguayan parents, the 35-year-old content creator has built a unique path that connects him deeply with Paraguay and its football culture.
And football, with its mystical nature, put the U.S. against Paraguay in the first game for both teams in the upcoming World Cup. Fabio Meza, nonetheless, is rooting for Paraguay to win. The Asuncion Times sits down with him to get to know his story, his feeling towards the Paraguayan national team, and what more is to come.
Origins of Fabio Meza
Fabio Meza was born in Chicago to a mother from Paraguay’s capital Asunción, and a father from Caraguatay. “Both of my parents always taught me about Paraguay and where I am from. As a 2-year-old, I lived with an aunt in Paraguay for a year. Despite not remembering much, I feel that Paraguay and that experience is instilled in me.”
His early years were marked by a mix of sports. “I started playing football as a child. What happened was that, growing up in the U.S., you play basketball and American football. I played lacrosse and baseball for 10 years. I played all the other sports and then, growing up, in a Paraguayan community in New Jersey, most of them stuck with football.”
A turning point came during childhood visits to Paraguay. “When I was eight or nine, I remember going to Paraguay for the first time and it was there when I started really understanding what that and Paraguay was.”
A lifelong bond with football
For Fabio Meza, the connection deepened over time, especially through international tournaments. “I always have been a football fan, but what really took me back was covering the U.S. national team in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Paraguay was not in that World Cup, so it is full circle that Paraguay plays against the U.S. in the World Cup”.
Through his work, Meza built relationships within the sport. “I became friends with some players of that 2014 U.S. team, and people wonder how I do it. But it is natural to me, because I have been doing it for so long and, at the end of the day, they are all humans”.
The Albirroja and identity
Fabio Meza´s emotional link with Paraguay’s national team dates back to childhood. “I watched the Paraguayan team in the 1998 World Cup on TV. They had a friendly game in Connecticut and I remember meeting Francisco Arce as a kid, there is a photo of him holding me.”
“I remember watching the Copa América 2011 final, when we lost to Uruguay, so I have been a fan my whole life and I also remember José Luis Chilavert, for example. I think I can connect so much more to the Paraguayan football culture than the U.S´s.”
His stance for the upcoming match is clear. “I want Paraguay to win this game, I am not going to lie. I think that Paraguayan fans care a little more. If the U.S. wins, I am not going to be upset though. I still have so much love for the U.S.”
Family ties within the game
Football is also part of Fabio Meza´s family. Paraguayan goalkeeper Roberto Fernández, known as “Gatito”, is his cousin. “I did not know that I had a cousin who played football. I went to YouTube to see his highlights. He is stopping all these shots and jumping everywhere. I was like, ‘Mom, why did you not tell me I had a cousin this cool?’”
Their relationship grew over time, especially during Fernández’s career in Brazil with Botafogo. “We hung out there and afterwards, I started visiting him more often.”
A growing presence around the team
Fabio Meza’s involvement with Paraguay’s national team expanded from his relationship with his cousin. He recalls a turning point during international competitions. “I decided to go to the qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil. We tied with Uruguay and then we won against Brazil with that Diego Gómez goal and the energy started changing.”
“I met the president of the Paraguayan Football Association and his sons. They invited me to fly with the team to Bolivia. I fitted well with the team and I really do not know what is happening right now”.
His motivation, however, remains simple. “For me, it is more of what I can give and how I can help this team. I just try to do the best I can. This is my career too; this is what I do and this is what I have been doing for 15 years.”
Fabio Meza: living the dream
Being close to the players is something he still finds surreal. “Making videos with, and for the players is surreal, it is like a dream come true. Celebrating goals with someone like Justo Villar, one of my heroes growing up, is amazing. But also, he is a normal person, like each one of us.”
Looking ahead, Fabio remains focused on contributing rather than predicting outcomes. “Honestly, everyone is trying to win the World Cup. What matters is wearing the Albirroja badge. Going into battle with people who I love. The players, the staff and the president of the Paraguayan Football Association, Robert Harrison, who is a great man.”
He concludes with a message of gratitude and unity, “Shoutout to my mom and dad, Norma and Luis. They are the reason why I am here. Shoutout to Gatito, he is a great goalkeeper but an even better person. I also ask my fellow Paraguayans to be relaxed and make your part, wherever you are, for the World Cup. Just be the best Paraguayan you can be.”
