Mateo Restrepo trades one dream for another, leaving pro soccer for med school

Mateo Restrepo, 25, has already fulfilled one of his dreams by playing pro soccer. Now, the defender for HFX Wanderers FC is on a second journey. He will be quitting football to go to medical school.

The Toronto native left Toronto Monday for New York City, where he will begin at the Icahn School of Medicine in Mount Sinai on Aug. 8.

Restrepo admitted to feeling overwhelmed as he switched careers.

He said that he was aware of the transition from training every day, and having a lot off time, to being on the move all the time. "But I'm excited, and I'm willing to put in the work."

There will be plenty of those. He is considering four years of medical school followed by three to seven more years of residency. He was able to make a decision about his future.

He explained that the training for medicine was so extensive that he didn't want his medical training to begin at 30 or 33.

He isn't giving up on soccer. Through a friend, he is already looking into New York City options.

"I intend to continue playing football. He said that football has been a part of his life for 20 years and that he doesn't intend to let it go.

However, school will always be the first.

His last game was July 23rd, a 1-1 draw with FC Edmonton at Wanderers Ground. Restrepo was able to take the captain's armband and lead the team out on their Canadian Premier League finale.

It was an emotional day in Halifax for Restrepo who has called Halifax home since January 2020, when he joined the team.

He said, "It was difficult to say goodbye to everyone." "Some of my closest friends are there. It's always difficult to say goodbye. It's always hard to say goodbye, but at this point, it almost feels like normal.

Restrepo was born in Colombia and was five years old when he arrived in Canada with his parents.

Woodbridge SC was his youth soccer team. He began playing soccer when he was six years old. He was 13-14 when he was invited by the Ontario team to play. He ended up being the team's captain. He was 14 years old when he joined the Canadian youth program with Sean Fleming.

He was a Canadian youth international and a member of the TFC academy. He got to learn on and off the field.

He attended high school at Dante Alighieri Academy with Canadian international Richie Laryea. Richie Laryea was a former Toronto FC fullback who is now with England's Nottingham Forest and Kwame Awuah with St. Louis City SC 2. Restrepo also counts Liam Fraser, a former Toronto midfielder, as well as Mark-Anthony Kaye, a current TFC midfielder, among his friends.

His Halifax roommate was Aidan Daniels, a former TFC academy product.He spent three years at the Toronto academy, and in 2014, he trained with the Brentford FC academy.He said, "The level of the event was amazing." "It was an eye-opening experience that I will never forget."

He moved to Germany a year later to join the FC Ingolstadt 04 under-19 team, which made him a fullback and centre back.He was 17 years old when he was scouted at a youth tournament in Austria. He stayed in Europe and underwent a month-long trial. He was called to come over three days before he graduated high school. He left the next morning.

He said, "The football was absolutely incredible." "We played Bayern Munich one week and Hoffenheim the next in the U-19 Bundesliga. It was high-quality, top-class soccer. It was a great experience that helped me grow in many ways.

He began his studies at UC-Santa Barbara in 2016. He also played 66 games with the Gauchos.

He said, "Football gave my everything." It gave me a way to work on myself and help me grow as a person and man. It took me all over the world and allowed my to represent Canada, the country who took in my family during our time of greatest need. It was a great education.

"I don’t think I could ask for more from football. I found the game really enjoyable."

Restrepo spent many months studying for the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) and finally passed it before the 2021 season. He was informed that he had been accepted by the Medical College Admission Test in January.

He considered deferring for a while to finish the season, but he decided it was time to return to school.

I was anxious about bringing it up to my club. I felt like I was letting down the team by leaving in mid-season. They were supportive and offered their best wishes. They understood everything. It made it easier to move on and let go.

The Icahn School has a stellar academic record and appealed greatly to him for its emphasis upon working with "underserved" populations.

Restrepo said, "And me being an immigrant form Colombia, it has always been something that I wanted to focus on." "I want people with similar backgrounds to mine to be able to help others, even if they don't have the opportunity to access health care or speak the language. I want to facilitate these interactions and make them feel cared for. That's the core of Icahn.

He said, "I am blessed to attend a school like this."He will be leaving with fond memories of the CPL.

He said, "It was so wonderful to be able to return home and play in an professional league." It was something I didn't have as a kid. It wasn't something I looked forward to as a youth player.He enjoyed playing soccer in the country.

It was a blessing to be able to see different aspects of Canadian culture. He said that he had nothing but positive things to say about CPL.I believe it's going grow, it will keep growing. It's going to get higher. The interest will continue to grow. It's exciting to see where it will be in the next 10-15 years... and I'm happy that youth have something to look forward too. They have professional clubs right in their backyard. Not all places, but in many places.