Beaver Questions With Fran Cortijo

Fran Cortijo is an upcoming redshirt-senior with the Oregon State men's soccer team who hails from Spain. Selected as a team captain for the upcoming season, Cortijo has played in 33 matches in his two seasons with the Beavers.

Cortijo recorded two goals and eight assists last season, helping the Beavers make the College Cup for the first time in program history. Overall, he has amassed 12 assists in his two-year collegiate career.

Cortijo recently participated in a Q&A with OSUBeavers.com. Here's what he had to say.

Do you remember the first time you stepped on the Oregon State campus and what it meant to you?
Fran Cortijo: It was a total life change. Leaving my family behind, getting out of the comfort zone. It was a big step forward in my personal and professional life. So far, it is one of the hardest and happiest decisions I have ever made in my life.

When did you know you wanted to be a student-athlete at the college level? What drew you to it?
FC: From home I was always educated that sports and studies should always go hand in hand, so when the opportunity arose, I did not hesitate to take it.

What's one thing you wish more people knew about men's soccer and what it takes to be competitive?
FC: Soccer has a lot more components than 22 players behind a ball. Individual and teamwork. A lot of tactics and strategy behind it to find the best way to score against the opposing team. With all of this, sentiment and morale play an important role in soccer. In my country, Spain, we call it fútbol..

If you could change one rule about soccer, what would it be and why?
FC: What is done in professional soccer is to give added time at the end of each half. Here in college soccer, there is no added time and when the clock reaches the 90th minute the game is over no matter where you are. Maybe you're in the middle of the field and you have to shoot from there, instead of being able to finish the play the way you want to finish it.

What does it mean to you to wear the Orange and Black?
FC: Representing these colors and this shield throughout the country is a great responsibility. It means representing the entire Beaver Nation wherever you go, always with respect, humility, hard work, sacrifice and being true to yourself.

If you could pick any other sport to play, what would it be and why?
FC: Tennis. I played tennis when I was five, and now I really enjoy watching it in TV. also, I like to play golf and pickleball.

What drives you to succeed?
FC: Mentality

What makes you want to be successful off the field? What drives your success in the classroom?
FC: I am a person who always wants the best version of myself. And that is achieved by being responsible and making conscious decisions in your day to day life. In the classroom, I like to be very tidy and to be up to date with everything, always.

If you could have dinner with three athletes, dead or alive, who would they be?
FC: Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Nadal and Michael Jordan

Who did you look up to growing up? What made you look up to them?
FC: My father. I am very proud of the person I am today and I owe a lot of that to him. He taught me the values that I believe a person should have; respect, education, humility and sacrifice.

Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
FC: Married to my wife, having a united family with my wife and children, having a good relationship with my family, traveling a lot and living many experiences. In addition, not worrying so much about things.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given? And who gave it to you?
FC: My grandfather always told me: Be humble, work quietly and try to be the best person you can every day.

What kind of mark do you want to leave from your time in Corvallis?
FC: I want to be remembered for who I was as a soccer player, but above all as a person. Someone to ask for advice, and someone who was always there to help you with whatever you needed.

Name your top three things to do in Oregon when you're not playing or studying.
FC: Watch the rest of the teams play. Oregon Coast. Enjoy restaurants.

What are your favorite topping(s) on a hot dog?
FC: Simple; ketchup, mustard and onion.

How about ice cream. What do you have to put on it?
FC: Simple again. Vanilla ice cream with some chocolate chips.

Your preferred pre-competition meal?
FC: Rice, chicken and broccoli.

What are your top-three favorite movies?
FC: Life is beautiful, Titanic, and The Shawshank Redemption

What's in your pre-event playlist?
FC: Reggaeton and Pop

Related News

Players Mentioned

Fran Cortijo

Related Videos