Episode 37 of European Cricket Stories explores cricket as a source of belonging and identity. 🎙️

ECN Founder Daniel Weston sits down with Juan Carlos Rodríguez, President of Cricket España, to reflect on a life shaped by cricket across continents. Born in South Africa, Juan Carlos first discovered the game at the age of eight, playing backyard cricket with his future brother in law. That early passion grew through school cricket and regular weekends spent at local grounds watching provincial league matches.

Later in life, Juan Carlos moved to Spain, first to the north and then to the south. Cricket remained a constant companion throughout those transitions. A visit to a match in Alfas del Pi, where he was welcomed with open arms, marked the beginning of his Spanish cricket journey. In 1998, he became captain of the Spanish national team and went on to assemble a squad of old friends and Spanish nationals who had moved from South Africa, competing at the 1999 ICC Europe Indoor International.

Juan Carlos speaks openly about feeling like an immigrant in his own country after leaving South Africa and how cricket provided comfort, familiarity and purpose. He strongly believes that for immigrant and expat communities, cricket offers a sense of belonging and inclusion. The welcoming nature of the game helps people integrate, connect and feel part of something bigger, regardless of background or origin.

This episode highlights how shared passion for cricket unites people from different walks of life and why Juan Carlos believes this sense of belonging is one of the key foundations behind the continued success of Spanish cricket.

New episodes of European Cricket Stories are released every Tuesday and Thursday, celebrating the human stories that shape European cricket.

Watch the full episode https://youtu.be/WvrG5Go4-yA

👉 Subscribe now and follow the European cricket journey.