For as long as Victor Urrutia can remember, soccer has been a part of his life. Growing up in Maipú, a community in the southwest region of Santiago, Chile, with a soccer field steps away from his front door, soccer was always present and an innate part of his everyday life. Soccer felt like a collective passion with all of his friends and family. “All my friendships were formed around soccer, and my school life reflected that as well. I was always recognized for playing the game, and it became a very natural part of my identity and everyday routine from a very young age. Soccer was not something I discovered later in life—it was something I grew into naturally, as part of my family, my friends, my school, and my community.”  

After school each day, Victor and his friends would play in the field outside his house and he was often designated as the goalkeeper as his friends would joke that he wasn’t great on the field. “From a young age, I was always taller than many of my peers and often played with older children. Because I did not have the same motor development as them, I was often placed as a goalkeeper. Over time, I discovered that I was brave, quick, and had good reactions to reach the ball. I really enjoyed diving, saving shots, and preventing goals. Every time I made a save, I received positive feedback and encouragement, which motivated me even more…That is how my passion for the goalkeeper position naturally developed.”

As Victor grew older, he had the opportunity to play at multiple competitive levels in Chile. The most important stage of his playing career was with Club Deportivo Magallanes, where he developed as a young goalkeeper. “During that time, I also had the opportunity to be called in to train and spend time with the professional first-team goalkeepers for a season. That experience represented my closest connection to professional football and was a very meaningful moment in my development.”

Victor notes that the most special memory he has from playing soccer was sharing the field with his childhood idol, goalkeeper Patricio Toledo when he joined Club Deportivo Autonom Italiano. “I had the opportunity to meet him personally, as he was the goalkeeper coach for the first-team. I was able to share moments with him, receive direct advice, and learn from his experience…It was a truly special moment in my life.”  

Following his time as a player, Victor found his passion as a coach, able to pass his love for the sport onto others. He loved to work with younger children and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds in order to help them receive proper gear and training. “Because soccer has given me so many valuable life experiences, and I believe every child should have the opportunity to experience it, regardless of their financial situation. Sport can open doors, shape character, and transform lives.”