A Fan’s Journey: Javo Machado Accompanies Uruguay’s Sub 20 Team to the Youth World Cup Semifinals
Javo Machado traveled to Qatar imitating Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, among others. He now accompanies the Uruguay Sub 20 team. (Photo: Instagram @javomachado)
A Uruguayan Actor’s Rise to Social Media Fame
From the other side of the Río de la Plata, a voice emerged that contains many. Javo Machado is a Uruguayan actor who plays different emblematic soccer characters and entertains his fans. In his childhood, he started to imitate by watching VideoMatch and today he accompanies the Uruguayan selection around the world: he was in Qatar and now he lives Sub 20 world in Argentina.
Despite working in a radio station in Montevideo, Machado opted for making videos geared for social media as he observed new generations turning away from traditional media. He shared, “It is a way of communicating, neither better nor worse. She is the one that I like and the one that is comfortable for me ”.
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Machado has more than a million followers on TikTok and more than 300,000 subscribers on YouTube, but his viralization is no coincidence. His impressions and illusions are carefully crafted to perfection. “I prefer to call them characters because construction goes beyond voice; The idea is to create an illusion in the viewer. That is, to see Luis Suarez instead of me. I have been doing it for Lucho for 10 years and there have been great improvements, because he is a job that is practiced every day”.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar are perhaps the most renowned, but Machado has a great history with Edinson Cavani: “In 2020 he saw a video of me imitating him and he answered a story on Instagram; it was key to bet on this increasingly”.
A Dream Finally Realized: Javo Machado’s Journey to Qatar
The comedian and actor always yearned for a professional football career. However, in his adult years, he found solace and success in portraying his favorite soccer players online. He continued to dream of experiencing a live World Cup and finally realized it in Qatar 2022.
“I am from La Paloma, in the department of Rocha. Being from the interior, I never had much of a connection with the pitch, but I saw the opportunity and kept imitating players of the Uruguayan team”, said Javo Machado.
To fund his once in a lifetime trip to Qatar, he created a project called ‘A World Dream’. Through his social media channels, Machado rallied his fans and supporters to help him finance his journey to the Qatar World Cup. He succeeded, and even had an opportunity to co-produce content with Channel 4 from his country in Doha, allowing him to immerse himself even more in the games and experience.
From Virtual Matches to Live Tournaments: The Evolution of Machado’s Online Fame
Javo Machado’s rise to fame online is no coincidence. He built his brand carefully and consistently, sharing his passion for soccer, humor, and entertainment. Broadcasting on his Twitch channel, he even invited players from the Uruguay Sub 20 team to play FIFA, which garnered much attention and views. “We did it before the gurises traveled to Argentina and it was great. We broadcast it live and people can see another side in which they feel comfortable.
Among so many dreams, Javo Machado has a path that always leaves his feet on the ground: “I would love to continue expanding, but my priority is to generate good content. I want to continue touring sporting events, while fantasizing about having a marching band.” For now, she continues to accompany the World Cup dream of her beloved Uruguayan team: “Some boys promised to dye themselves, others to shave… I said that I was going to tattoo a brush, in honor of Franco González. I’m already proud, but I hope it’s for them; there I will have to see how I make a Sub 20 brush.
A Flag that Unites Uruguayans Everywhere
Machado’s journey to Qatar was not only personally fulfilling but also a source of national pride. With an 8-meter flag in hand, he toured the country getting signatories from fellow Uruguayans. He recalled, “That move drew a lot of attention, even FIFA told this story on its page. In a banner that we organized in Qatar, there were Uruguayans who joined to leave their signature as well, ”he added.
A True Fan Accompanies His Team to the Semifinals
Today, Javo Machado lives his dream of accompanying the Uruguayan Sub 20 team to the Youth World Cup semifinals. His journey from being a young boy watching VideoMatch to joining his national team at the World Cup is a testament to the power of determination, hard work, and passion.