National Football League continues to expand its global presence, crossing out another international city this weekend.
Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders will play in Madrid on Sunday, the first time the league will play a game in Spain.
For Alejandro Villanueva, the game hits close to home in more ways than one. Not only did he grow up in Spain, but his father is based at Rota Naval Base, where a soccer tournament was being held Wednesday. The former NFL offensive lineman, who served in the U.S. Army, is spending time in Spain on behalf of USAA, the NFL's official Salute to Service partner.
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“The United States military and Spain are two entities that I grew up influenced by. I have always prayed for good relations between Spain and the United States, because if there was a rift or friction between them, I would always have to either choose or be in a terrible situation. But to see the fact that an American football game will be played in Spain is quite surreal,” Villanueva said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.
“It’s very interesting to live in the United States and see the evolution of how Spain and the United States get along, how the base meant so much to the US Navy and how the sport is now starting to appeal to Spanish fans. All these things – I could never have hoped for a better evolution when I left for the United States. So the moment of coming back to my hometown to work with the troops here, speaking English on an American base, it's just amazing.”
“It's just an incredible experience to be on base with everyone today,” added Theismann, who was in town to watch. his former team. “That’s one of the things I love about USAA—honor through action. That's what USAA is all about – celebrating the military through action. Last year I was at the Army-Navy game, and now I’m here in Spain and can honor the soldiers again.”
Theismann discussed the importance of growing the game globally, stating that as long as each game is “packaged”, there is no reason why the NFL should not continue to expand beyond the Atlantic Ocean.
“Attendance at international games speaks to people's insatiable appetite for the NFL,” Theismann said. “If people didn’t come, these games wouldn’t happen. But nevertheless, the stadiums are crowded – everyone is wearing T-shirts, banners, and faces are painted. They are just as enthusiastic in different parts of the world as they are in the States. So I think this is just an attempt by the NFL and the NFL itself to continue to grow the brand.”
Villanueva echoed similar sentiments but took a different path. He called American football a “cultural weapon” that could bridge the gap between the United States and Spain.
“There's no hiding the fact that players represent stories, and those stories represent values, and those values represent the values that represent all of us. I think American football represents hard work and sacrifice, replacing everything else. It doesn't matter where you come from – if you work harder and sacrifice more than the person next to you, you deserve to win, you deserve to be in the NFL, you deserve to have good things happen to you. And I think those are the values that you have in the United States.” Villanueva said.
“I think American sports fits into that category of entertainment. You can learn so much about what we value just by watching college football. I do think the rest of the world is much more traditional. America truly has some incredible things to sell through American football. Everyone's watching on Sunday night, Monday night – whoever's playing, you're watching.”
“Everyone can learn and be a big fan of the sport, just like the British were able to spread soccer around the world,” Villanueva added. “I hope the NFL continues to expand internationally.”
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