Passion, hard work, and a sprinkle of heart and soul is the formula that has driven undergraduate business student Edgardo “Gato” Obregon into becoming a superstar on the soccer field.

Obregon is a current junior majoring in business management entrepreneurship and minoring in real estate.

At the age of three years old, Obregon began playing soccer, and at the age of nine, he was already being recruited in Miami, FL to play for a professional team in Mexico.

He moved to Mexico in 2010 and played his whole youth career there for the most prestigious teams. This included the Selección Nacional de México, Club América, and Club Nacional de Montevideo.

For Obregon, the overall transition from the U.S. to Mexico was very challenging but made him a stronger person.

Aside from soccer, Obregon enjoys fishing and spending time with his family when off the field.

In 2019, Obregon decided to return to his hometown in Florida and spread his wings as an Owl on the FAU men’s soccer team.

“[Joining the team] was probably the best decision I’ve made so far, it has impacted my life in so many ways,” says Obregon.

When playing on the field, Obregon says that his biggest motivation is the passion he has for the sport. 

“[Soccer] has been all my life. Whenever I step on that field, it’s a war for me, and it’s a part of me and will always be a part of my entire life,” Obregon says. “It’s made me the individual I am today in every aspect.”

Throughout the 2019 season with FAU, Obregon scored his first career goal at No. 11 UCF, provided an assist for a goal in a win against Florida Gulf Coast, and finished his first season with the Owls with one goal and assist for three points on 12 shots.

In addition to his many achievements with FAU’s team, Obregon has been on the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll list twice for 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. The C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll list honors student-athletes who maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.

In 2021, however, Obregon faced an unexpected turn in his life. He tore his lateral collateral ligament (LCL), which he is still recovering from, and was unable to play with the team for the Spring 2021 season. 

According to the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF), “LCL tears commonly result when a direct blow to the inside of the knee stretches the outer ligament until it tears.”

“It’s been a tough experience, and has helped me mature in a lot of ways. I have learned a lot about my life in different perspectives, not just the athletic part,” Obregon says.

Alonso Coello Camarero, Obregon’s teammate, says, “[Edgardo] is a guy that has been setting an example for the rest of the guys even though he has been injured for a while now. Being out there every morning working on his own and supporting his teammates, it added to the culture we have on the team.” 

Obregon says that now while he is not able to play, he sees his future as a real estate broker. However, the moment he is able to get back on the field, he sees himself as a professional soccer player. 

Obregon hopes to be back on campus and playing with the team in the fall of 2021; however, it all depends on how he evolves with his injury.

Katherine Ambrosio Villegas is a contributing writer for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected].