Just Because presented by Hallmark: Sporting forward Gerso Fernandes

You may keep up with Sporting Kansas City on the pitch, but what about away from the field?

Just Because, presented by Hallmark, is a feature series on SportingKC.com that provides an exclusive look into the lives of players outside of soccer—because everyday moments are sometimes worth celebrating just like a game-winning goal.

In the seventh edition of Just Because, we catch up with forward Gerso Fernandes, who joined Sporting Kansas City in 2017 and quickly became a fan favorite at Children's Mercy Park.

It's the people that live in Kansas City, especially the people I have gotten to know here. I met my wife Emmy here in Kansas City and now we are married and have a kid. That says it all.

What is your favorite place to eat in the KC area? What do you order?

I like Gram and Dun a lot and there’s also Brio, the Italian place on the Plaza. At Gram and Dun I get the gnocchi with meat, which is very good. At Brio I get the carbonara pasta.

Other than soccer, which sport would you want to go pro in?

I’ve been very interested in golf. I watch golf and I think I’d go into golf. I like American football, but it’s very aggressive. Baseball is too slow. In Basketball, I would need to be much taller.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life?

It’s hard to just pick one person. That would be too hard for me. I have a lot of people in Portugal that are a part of my family now, and those are the biggest ones. When I got here, I also got Emmy's family. There are a lot of amazing people in my life and it's hard to pick just one.

What athlete did you look up to growing up?

I looked up to Cristiano Ronaldo. I liked individual players, but I was never focused too much on them. I like them and watching what they do, but I was never a crazy fan of anyone in particular.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

Being a professional soccer player. This was one of my dreams as a young kid.

Who is your favorite musical artist?

Drake. I like pretty much all of his songs.

If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life what would it be?

God’s Plan by Drake.

What is your favorite movie?

I have a couple of them, but I like the movie with Will Smith called Hitch. Will Smith is great and the movie is really funny.

Are you hooked on any TV shows?

No. My first year I was in Kansas City, I did some culinary stuff where I went on TV and presented a dish from Portugal and I had to do that. I’m not really into TV that much.

What other professional sports teams do you support?

I support my soccer team in Portugal called Benfica. That’s pretty much it. I like the Chiefs and the Royals and that’s about it.

What is your favorite place to travel to for a vacation?

Last year I went to Italy with my wife Emmy and we really loved it. I would definitely go back to Italy.

What is the coolest place you have visited?

That's a tough one. I like the Canadian cities a lot, Toronto and Vancouver. Outside of soccer, I haven’t really traveled that much now that I’m thinking about it.

If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?

I would pick Cristiano Ronaldo. I would really like to get to know him and hear how he’s become so successful. He had to work so hard to get to that level.

Which of your teammates is a must-follow on social media and why?

Daniel Salloi. There are a lot of players that are funny in the locker room, but they are more private on social media. I think Salloi is really fun on social media, too.

If you could be any animal in the world, what would it be and why?

A lion because pretty much all the other animals are scared of them. I wouldn’t have to run away from the other ones.

Being a new dad, what is your morning and nighttime routine?

My nights haven’t changed much because Emmy has helped me a lot. She’s the one who stays up with the baby during the night. When she’s very tired, of course I like to help. What has changed is that during the day, I used to get home and sit on the couch and chill out. Now my first preoccupation is to help G.J. and be with him. It's my favorite part of the day.

What is your favorite part of being a dad?

Everything that involves being a dad. Just looking at G.J., I can’t even believe that he is my son. It’s going to be like that for the rest of my life, and I just love that. I’m still trying to figure out how this is even possible. It's just so amazing.

Your are well-known for your speed. Can anyone on this team beat you in a race?

I have never raced anyone, even back in Portugal. On this team Johnny (Russell) thinks he’s faster than me and (Erik) Hurtado thinks he’s faster than me. I think I’m faster than Johnny, but Hurtado is pretty explosive. He is quick, but I think in the long distance I can beat him.