If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that every path to Atlanta United is unique. Maybe it came from Venezuela, by way of Switzerland and Italy, and was driven by a desire to be the best. Maybe it started in Decatur or Marietta, a local who was magnetized by the love of their city. Maybe it was a transplant new to Atlanta, eager to be part of a movement they could call their own. For Jose “Hugo” Hernandez, it started as a child, in his home, spending memorable moments with his little brother.
“I played with my brother or cousin, just us three really, all the time,” Hugo says, smiling.
The game they played was FIFA, a soccer video game which, for a young American demographic who couldn’t watch soccer on television every weekend, was often the best bridge you had to the beautiful game. On TV, you would get a few games per week, but on FIFA you had every team at your fingertips. For Hugo, it was a bonding moment with his family that he missed once he left home.
“I moved to college, and my brother and I wanted to be able to play each other and keep talking to each other,” Hugo says. “He told me about the streaming website Twitch, and we really started using it just for that, to play against each other. I owe a lot to my little brother for that. My whole interest and passion for streaming started just so I could keep playing with him like I had for so long as kids.”
But what started as a hobby became a legitimate career decision. With the rise in popularity of streaming, he decided to take a year off school to see if this could be an actual career path. If it didn’t work out, he thought, he could always go back. But he had to try. There was still someone he had to convince first.
“My mom is really big on school,” Hugo says. “We moved to the U.S. from Querétaro, Mexico when I was 5. I didn’t know any English, I learned it all at school. She sacrificed a lot to allow me to go to school, so when I talked to her about it I told her I needed her full support.”
His bet paid off. His streaming community grew and his competitive play improved. Now that he’s officially Atlanta United’s first esports player, Hugo laughs and says his mom is finally starting to come around.
“It's crazy to think last year, I only had around 50 viewers at a time. But it’s just grown and grown to hundreds of people watching me. It’s just unbelievable, I never thought I’d be able to pursue something like this. It’s been a beautiful experience for me.”
Atlanta United’s team philosophy has always been centered around youth, opting for the up-and-comer over the established name. Hugo fits that profile – get to know him now, because you will know him soon enough. And he is fully aware of the opportunity he has to be the club’s first ambassador to an entire new community: esports.
“Atlanta is the closest MLS team to my hometown, so it was a dream of mine to represent Atlanta from the beginning. So I’m ecstatic, but now I get to work. Obviously I want to go out and win eMLS Cup, or at least be a contender for it. But I just want to represent the club well, and get to know the Atlanta United fans.”
And now an entire new world can learn about what makes Atlanta United special. Hugo hopes that he can use his skills to not only put the Five Stripes on the map, but to inspire the next soccer-hungry kid who may be playing video games with his little brother in the living room just to keep up with the beautiful game
“My viewers see me talk about MLS, and a lot of them get interested and watch games. It brings new people into the scene. That’s what it did for me as a kid. FIFA is what got me into the sport and then I started watching it live and loved it. Maybe I can do that for someone else.”
© 2026 Atlanta United FC
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