The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, celebrated this Monday the “Cuban connections” present in the final of the college football game between Miami and Indiana, being held at the Hard Rock Stadium, highlighting the origin and background of two central figures in the matchup: coach Mario Cristóbal and quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
During an interview with journalist Clay Travis, Rubio described the final as “a storybook setting,” emphasizing that both protagonists share Cuban roots and connections to the city of Miami.
"Fernando, the quarterback from Indiana, moves in the same circle as my son, and I have known Mario for 25 years. It’s a dream story in Miami with these two connections," said the Secretary of State before the start of the game.
The atmosphere in the stadium became even more symbolic when the audience cheered for President Donald Trump, who attended the game accompanied by two of his grandsons.
The university final has sparked special interest in South Florida, where the Cuban community is celebrating the unprecedented matchup between Mario Cristóbal, head coach of the Miami Hurricanes and son of exiles, and Fernando Mendoza, the quarterback from Indiana and the first Cuban-American to win the Heisman Trophy.
Both represent, according to Rubio and other local leaders, “the effort, discipline, and faith in freedom” that characterize the Cuban families who arrived in the United States in search of a new beginning.
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