World Cup

Ex-Microsoft manager now ESPN Deportes reporter living the World Cup Dream

ESPN Deportes deployed more than 30 soccer experts to cover the FIFA 2014 World Cup from Brazil. Some of these people have covered as many 10 World Cups.

By contrast, there is one aspiring journalist who joined them in his first journey to World Cup, Diego Arrioja, winner of Deportes’ Dream Job.

Before he won Dream Job, Diego Arrioja worked for Microsoft in Seattle. (Photo courtesy of Diego Arrioja/ESPN Deportes)
Before he won Dream Job, Diego Arrioja worked as a manager for Microsoft in Seattle.
(Photo courtesy of Diego Arrioja/ESPN Deportes)

Arrioja, 28, was selected as the winner of the third edition of Dream Job last April. The Queretaro, Mexico, native finished ahead of thousands who competed in a nationwide search determined to find a new Deportes reporter who has a strong grasp of social media, soccer knowledge and on-camera presence.

Arrioja brings plenty of soccer experience. He works as a commentator and co-hosts Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders FC “Sounders FC en Acción.” Arrioja also founded an independent sports program, “Latinfut Radio Show,” which airs on ESPN Deportes Radio Seattle.

Arrioja left his primary job as a marketing manager at Seattle’s Microsoft, where he had been employed for 18 months, to pursue this opportunity with ESPN Deportes. He told Front Row that his Microsoft boss agreed with his decision. She told him to enjoy the journey.

Now with almost two weeks in Brazil, he is living his dream of covering the Cup for ESPN. As the #Redes correspondent, Arrioja is providing live reports across ESPN Deportes’ news and information programming with the latest social media news and the color lived in Brazil.

Front Row asked Arrioja to share his five most memorable moments thus far in Brazil.

“To choose just five moments is very hard,” he said. “This amazing experience that I am living has surpassed my expectations in every level, from how much I have been learning from the experts, to production logistics, to all the long work hours; but beyond anything, the quality of the people at ESPN Deportes.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGFpuYy-op0

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