By John Beisser, Feature Writer 

The pride that Rutgers junior men’s soccer standout Nestor Cabrera holds for representing the Guatemalan National Soccer Team is evident in the exuberance he expresses when describing the feeling of putting on the uniform of the country where his parents were born and raised and where so many of his relatives still reside. 

This past summer, Cabrera achieved his highest honor yet in the sport, when he was called up to the Guatemalan Senior National Team in preparation for a July 27 match vs. El Salvador. The match took place at the home of the MSL’s Los Angeles Galaxy, the 27,000- seat Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. 

While Guatemala wound up on the short end of a 1-0 contest that was decided on penalty kicks, Cabrera more than held his own in playing the game’s final 20 minutes. In a recent telephone interview, one could practically see Cabrera’s wide smile beaming through the phone line. 

“Being called up to the national team this summer was just an amazing experience,” Cabrera said. “Being in a stadium that was packed with fans, having my dad and brother there and my whole entire family watching it on TV, it was just an amazing experience. It was such a joy, such a blessing, because all the hard work I put in through the years finally paid off. And will continue paying off if I keep working hard and I get future call-ups.” 

“It was a tight game when I came in,” he continued. “It was very competitive and very intense, but I found my flow into the game very quickly and I felt like I belonged there. Our coach, Luis Fernando Tena, was very happy with my performance. At the end of the game, he said that I looked very confident and that I looked perfect for that type of level and he that he can’t wait to work with me more in the future.” 

Cabrera is a graduate of nearby Bridgewater Raritan High School though he did not compete on the Panthers’ team. Instead, Cabrera, who arrived at Rutgers in 2022 with an extensive soccer-playing resume, developed and honed his skills competing for the Players Development Academy (PDA), the New York Red Bulls Academy as well for Queensboro FC in the United Soccer League Academy.  

“The first time I put on the uniform was when I was 15 as I was playing with the U-17’s at the time,” he said. “And it was just a blessing to be able to represent the country because I feel that I am a Guatemalan. I grew up with that culture and grew up very much living like a Guatemalan. So, it is such a huge honor to represent the country where my parents were born. While my first experience with the Guatemalan team was with the U-17’s, the first tournament that I played there was when I was with the under 20’s at the World Cup qualifiers.  

“In that tournament we qualified for the World Cup which was just such a huge blessing for me,” Cabrera continued. “Standing and singing the national anthem, it brings tears to my eyes every single time.” 

Now an important cog as a defensive midfielder in the Scarlet Knight men’s soccer machine, in 2024 Cabrera is looking to help RU attain its second Big Ten Championship in three years. Asked how competing on the Guatemalan Senior National team compares to playing high-level Division I soccer at Rutgers, Cabrera responded, “The level on the national team is like super competitive because every single player on that national team is fighting for a position every single day.” 

“Every single game you have to prove yourself and work hard. It’s just super, super competitive,” he continued. “That’s the case in the Big Ten as well. But I just think that when it comes to the national team, representing your country or representing the name on the shirt every time that you put it on, it just brings it to a different level.” 

Prior to this summer’s call up to the Guatemalan Senior National Team, helping Rutgers win the 2022 Big Ten Championship as a freshman was his top career highlight, Cabrera said.  

“We made history. It was the first time a Rutgers men’s program had won a Big Ten title in any sport, so it was really cool to be a part of that,” Cabrera added. “It was an amazing achievement for us as a group and a whole organization.” 

A communications major who is minoring in sports management, Cabrera sees many similarities between this year’s team and the 2022 championship squad. 

“I think our team this year is great. I really feel like we are a very strong team,” Cabrera said. “We’re good together and we all like each other. I feel like this is a very special group because the bond we have between each one of the players is very strong. I have a really good feeling about this season. I think we’re going to win a decent amount of silverware.” 

Cabrera is quick to credit Rutgers sixth-year head coach Jim McElderry playing an instrumental role in the continuing development and progression in his game. 

“Playing for Coach McElderry is great,” Cabrera said. “I think he’s a great coach, he’s taught me a lot. I’ve definitely learned a lot from him. Everything he tells me I take in and feel I have improved as a soccer player playing at Rutgers. As a person as well, I’ve definitely matured and I’ve become more patient as a player.” 

Whenever Cabrera is home with his family in Bridgewater and gets the itch to play soccer, which is often, it’s not hard to find someone to join him in kicking the ball around with his three siblings. Anthony (24), who was the leading scorer on Bridgewater Raritan’s 2018 Somerset County Championship team, Christopher (15) or even his 13-year-old sister Dulce, are usually up for a game in Cabrera’s backyard.

“I’ve been playing soccer since I was like four years old,” he said. “Every single day was soccer, soccer, soccer. I just love the sport, and I grew up playing it with my brothers. We’d spend hours in the backyard playing every single day and the same with my cousins. Every single weekend when I’m home it’s always soccer.” 

Born to play the game he loves, Nestor Cabrera is having the time of his life competing for both Rutgers and the Guatemalan National Team with a dream of having a long, successful professional soccer-playing career. But first, there are many more roads to travel and wins to achieve for both teams that he calls home. 

A recipient of seven NJ Press Association Awards for writing excellence, John Beisser ('86) served as Assistant Director in the Rutgers University Athletic Communications Office from 1991-2006, where he primarily handled sports information/media relations duties for the Scarlet Knight football and men's basketball programs. In this role, he served as managing editor for nine publications that received either National or Regional citations from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). While an undergraduate at RU, Beisser was sports director of WRSU-FM and a sportswriter/columnist for The Daily Targum. From 2007-2019, Beisser served as Assistant Athletic Director/Sports Media Relations at Wagner College, where he was the recipient of the 2019 Met Basketball Writers Association "Good Guy" Award. Beisser resides in Piscataway with his wife Aileen (RC '95,) a four-year Scarlet Knight women's lacrosse letterwinner, and their 15-year old daughter Riley.