What do Spain¡¯s Sevilla FC and Mark Zuckerberg have in common?

In a bid to capture the nostalgia of the moment, Silicon Valley¡¯s most famous entrepreneur made a video of his former residence and shared it on social media, with Ulian¡¯s scarf featuring in the footage. ¡°We didn't know for sure that he would come, but my two roommates and I left some things around so that he would know the room was occupied,¡± says Ulian. ¡°Then before leaving, one of his assistants let us stay a while longer so we could meet him.¡±

With 85,000 hits, Zuckerberg¡¯s post put Ulian and his scarf in the spotlight. ¡°I got tons of messages from students on campus, including from people I don't know,¡± he says.

The President of Sevilla FC has invited my family and me to the VIP area of the ground Chris Ulian

Harvard itself posted a link on its official Facebook page with a 360¡ã view of Zuckerberg¡¯s old room. In the image, Zuckerberg is sitting on one of the chairs. But many were as intrigued by the scarf and its possible owner as by the room¡¯s former inhabitant.

The link between Ulian and Sevilla was forged in 2014 before he started at Harvard. ¡°I decided to visit Spain because I spoke a bit of the language and it seemed like the most sensible option,¡± he says.

Ulian stayed for a year with a local family and now considers their house to be his second home. ¡°Pablo, my Spanish brother, was always talking about the team and its players and little by little I became a Seville fan,¡± he says.

A follower of the MLS ?¨C the the US soccer league ¨C Ulian has fond memories of his time in Spain. He also recalls how soccer became as much a part of his experience as the culture and quirkiness of the city. ¡°I went to see a few games,¡± he says. ¡°At first I went with friends or with Pablo. The last few times, my brother Emmet also came along.¡±

Besides the scarf, Ulian has also kept Sevilla shirts and some of the gifts sent recently to him by the club. ¡°The President of Sevilla FC has invited me and my family to VIP areas of the ground,¡± he says proudly. ¡°My brother Aidan, who is just 12, has persuaded some of his friends to follow the team too!¡±

Ulian still remembers the excitement of some of the derbies between Sevilla and Betis ¨C the club¡¯s crosstown rivals ¨C as well as the day Sevilla beat Real Madrid. ¡°American friends asked me if I was there in the stadium,¡± he says. ¡°So I showed them a photo taken from the stands.¡±

Now, thanks to Zuckerberg¡¯s video, Harvard students know all about the club. ¡°It¡¯s been an honor to bring its name to so many people,¡± says Ulian.

In fact, many Sevilla fans have written to Ulian on Facebook as a consequence. Now, with his newfound fame, his third year at university promises to continue at fever pitch.

English version by Heather Galloway.?