Quarterback Fernando Mendoza has helped Indiana to an unbeaten season thus far, including the win against defending champions Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big 10 championship game.
His strong performance has earned him a nomination for the 2025 Heisman Trophy alongside Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, and Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love.
Fernando Mendoza Ethnicity
Fernando Mendoza was born on October 1, 2003, in Miami, Florida. He grew up in a Cuban-American family. According to the Daily Express US, all four of Mendoza’s grandparents were born and raised in Cuba. Three grew up in Havana and one in Santiago. His grandparents relocated to Miami in search of better opportunities. Thus, his ethnicity can be noted as Cuban-American.
“All my grandparents were born and raised in Cuba, three in Havana, one in Santiago, and so I’m extremely grateful for all the hardship that they’ve been through coming over and the whole part of being an immigrant, starting from the ground up and really laying a foundation,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza attended Christopher Columbus High School. He started his college career with the California Golden Bears in 2022 before transferring to Indiana in 2025. Mendoza’s younger brother, Alberto, serves as his backup quarterback in Indiana.
Earlier this year, in an interview published on Peegs.com, Mendoza said that his passion for football was inspired by their Cuban heritage.
“Alberto and I play football not for ourselves, not for fulfillment and satisfaction of ourselves—we have a lot of whys why we do it for,” Mendoza said. “One of the whys is our mom. Another why is our entire family. Our entire family comes from a Cuban background. All of our grandparents were born and raised in Cuba, and that’s something we always take deeply to heart.”
Mendoza’s mother, Elsa, has battled multiple sclerosis (MS), leading to the quarterback in the forefront of various charitable efforts raising funds for MS research. Mendoza’s father, Fernando Mendoza Sr., has played a guiding role in Mendoza’s football career.
Now, Mendoza looks forward to the Heisman ceremony in New York, where he hopes to be named as the recipient of the coveted award.
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