Ambitious Students – Jose Afonso and his passion for freestyle football

How did you get started in freestyle football and what led you to pursue it professionally? 

"Honestly, I started by chance. I was around 12 years old and played football. Our coach started to be too strict, so I began staying at home. That’s when I started practicing tricks with the ball, and over time, I kept learning. At first, it was just a hobby, but little by little, it became a passion. I spent hours and hours training, perfecting my moves. And so, without even realizing it, I became fully immersed in this world." 

What is your training routine like, and how do you balance it with your physiotherapy studies? 

"My training routine is quite flexible. I try to train on days when I can and when I feel my body will handle it well, without obsessing. Generally, during championship seasons in the summer, I train high-impact exercises in the mornings and repetitive exercises in the afternoons. Combining it with my studies is challenging, but I think I've found a good balance. There are days when I have to sacrifice sleep to study and train, but it's worth it." 

You post a lot of content on social media. How did you start creating content? Do you do it for fun, when you feel like it, or do you have a consistent schedule for posting? 

"I mainly use Instagram. For freestyle, I try to post two or three videos a week. I edit them myself, since I also enjoy that. I also have a graphic design account where I try to post at least once a week and send it to brands. In the end, I post freestyle videos when I feel like it and have the time." 

What does freestyle mean to you? 

"It’s not just that I like it as a sport; the best part is the community, especially here in Spain. All my best friends are freestylers, and I met them through social media and championships. It's a very special friendship because you know there's always complete sincerity and transparency, and everything they tell you is to help you improve. There's a very healthy atmosphere, and at the end of the day, it's easy to connect with people who share your passion.” 

What is your biggest dream in this sport? Would you like to represent Spain internationally? 

"I would love to become the champion of Spain, although the world championship seems too complicated. It would require much more time and effort than I'm willing to give right now, because I don't want to burn out." 

What advice would you give to other students who want to pursue their passion, whether in freestyle or any other field, while managing their academic life? 

"I would tell them to fight for their dreams but to be realistic. You have to be consistent, disciplined, and willing to make sacrifices. Many times, you won’t be able to do everything you want, and you have to learn to prioritize. It's also important to surround yourself with people who support and motivate you. And above all, enjoy the process and stay humble." 

What’s your next goal in freestyle, and how would you like your career to evolve in the future? 

"In freestyle, I’d like to recover from my injuries and the burnout I’ve experienced and fulfill the dreams of my younger self. Right now, there’s a kid in my town learning freestyle. My goal is to pass on as many values as I can, so that he gets to know this beautiful sport - free of ego - and learns not to focus on being better than others, but to improve himself. This is also something I try to teach through my social media. 

I also want to finish physiotherapy, a degree I deeply admire because it would make me very happy to heal others, as they have done for me countless times. 

However, in the long term, I’m still unsure. It would be interesting to create something of my own, connecting freestyle with the field of graphic design."