Lead soccer writer for USA Today has had the chance to cover World Cups and see much of the world along the way.

More than a decade later, Jon Arnold still relies on three fundamental experiences during his days as a Texas Tech University student – a demanding class, a hands-on opportunity and a linguistic conquest.

Arnold, who became lead soccer writer for USA Today in April, graduated from the College of Media & Communication in 2011 with a double-major in journalism and Spanish. Both would serve him well in a career chronicling the world’s most popular sport in exotic locales around the globe.

“Texas Tech equipped me with the skills necessary to be a journalist,” he said. “Funny enough, I didn’t become a journalist out of school. I took another offer and worked in the sports streaming industry because of the economic realities of the industries, but then I jumped back into journalism.”

Looking back, Arnold says his News Writing class provided a solid foundation that helped him refine and strengthen his writing repertoire. He then spent several years working at The Daily Toreador, the campus newspaper, eventually working his way up to managing editor.

And while those two complementary experiences were important as far as becoming a journalist, learning to speak Spanish fluently might have been even more critical, considering soccer is an international sport. Even today, Arnold is looking to expand the languages he speaks as he is now learning French.

Classroom Spanish was the entry point, but Arnold figured if he wanted to become comfortable speaking a second language, he needed to immerse himself among native speakers. So, he moved to Mexico in 2015 and lived in Tijuana for a year.

“That’s where my Spanish went from very formal to where I have been for the last decade, just sounding legitimate when I do an interview with a native speaker,” he said. “They don’t have complications or difficulties understanding and vice versa.

“Honestly, a lot of my bread and butter has been doing interviews in Spanish and then writing them well in English because that’s a skill. The Spanish interview is a skill, but the translation is an art. Being able to translate in a way that rings true to a reader’s ear and eye and having the story well-written in English is why I have had a lot of success in my career.”

Don’t be fooled, though. The path to his current gig hasn’t been easy. Arnold spent the previous six years grinding it out as a freelancer, positioning himself as a soccer authority and building a reputation for source cultivation and solid storytelling. His work has been published in a number of outlets, including ESPN, the Guardian and the Major League Soccer (MLS) official site.

“What always set Jon apart was his instinct for finding the story beneath the story – the angle that went beyond the surface and gave readers something they hadn’t considered,” said Tom Marshall, an international scout at Atlanta United FC whose path originally crossed with Jon’s when they were both working in sports media.

“He’s also genuinely even-handed; he sees multiple sides of an event or situation and reflects that in his work rather than defaulting to the easy narrative.”

Arnold has covered soccer’s premier event before, handling the 2018 World Cup in Russia. His primary assignment was Mexico, and after the U.S. missed qualifying for the Cup that year, he wound up one of the few American journalists at the event.

“The moment was so special,” he recalled. “Mexico upset Germany, and before the match, they played the national anthems of both nations. And I remember Javier Hernandez, a famous forward and all-time leading scorer, started to cry during the anthem, and I have to admit, I did too. Not my country, but being there just meant so much to me as a journalist.”

This year, Arnold was on hand for Mexico’s opening 2-0 victory over South Africa in Mexico City, and as he prepared for covering the game, he once again was expecting an emotional experience.

“I’m sure I will be bawling just because of what the World Cup means,” he said, “and being trusted with these stories. The fact that this one is here on North American soil, my home and the region that I’ve made my personal brand, makes it extra special.”

Soccer has allowed Arnold to visit more than 20 countries and tell compelling stories from around the world at the intersection of athletic achievement and national pride. He sees what he gets to do as an unbelievable privilege.

“The first thing about Jon is just his work ethic,” said Tommy Magelssen, sports editor of The Dallas Morning News who worked with Jon at The Daily Toreador during their days at Texas Tech. “In college he just started going the extra mile where everything he did in journalism, he was going to do to the best of his ability. He has always been a hard worker and someone who was willing to do things that other people wouldn’t do in terms of just grinding it out and putting in the effort.”

That includes his approach to writing about soccer. Arnold isn’t content to simply focus on the game and the final score. He believes the real stories come from the athletes and their life experiences.

Getting them to open up and share what they have been through in terms of highs and lows takes time, patience and effort.

“I love what happens on the green rectangle between the lines,” he said. “But what really excites me about soccer are these crossover moments.”

For example, Arnold has written about a Haitian soccer player who was scammed in Thailand, ended up in Miami and found a way to a Chilean team. Now, he is a star in Ecuador representing his home country in the World Cup.

An international competition also brings to light international issues such as immigration and politics. Journalists don’t pick the stories. They just cover what is in front of them, one story at a time.

“Those are things that excite me, and those are things that I was able to really start digging into at Texas Tech,” he said. “I received a holistic education. I was taking Spanish classes and learning about Latin American cinema and Cuba, but I was also learning these journalistic skills that prepared me to take this wide approach to a sport that I think is very welcome among soccer fans who are often very globally minded.”

Similarly, Arnold’s globe-trotting soccer exploits have given him the chance to remember that no matter where you go, you’re never too far from home.

“I have met Red Raiders in Santiago, Chile, in a hotel lobby,” he said. “I was wearing my Double T, all sweaty coming back from a run, and it’s like, ‘Oh, my gosh, Texas Tech.’ Everyone is proud of the university and the community of Red Raiders we have built.

“I have spent weeks in London. I’ve been to Moscow, St. Petersburg and Buenos Aires, and there’s still some places on the list I want to get to. I’ve been to some of the most beautiful and magical places in the world, but I love returning to Lubbock for a game or visiting friends or going to campus because I think it’s like our little secret, and when you’re in on the secret, it makes it that much more special.”