With our Amazing Losers game on the horizon, we’re spending the days leading up to kick off meeting the lads who’ll be pulling on the shirts in this year’s game at Walsall FC. Next we go to Borehamwood to meet George Ferreira, one of MAN v FAT’s biggest success stories!
Tell us more about your initial reasons for joining MAN v FAT
I joined MAN v FAT because I had reached a point where I knew I couldn’t ignore my health any longer. I was at 249kg and football which I always loved had become something I couldn’t properly enjoy. I didn’t want surgery or injections, I wanted to prove to myself that I could change through consistency and discipline. What appealed to me was the structure. It wasn’t just about weight loss, it was about turning up every week, being accountable and reconnecting with the game I had grown up loving. That routine gave me something solid to build from.
If you could go back in time and talk to the version of you at the start of your weight loss efforts, what would you tell them about the changes you’ve experienced?
I would tell him that the weight isn’t the hardest part but rather the mindset is. At the start I thought losing weight would fix everything straight away. What I have come to learn is that the real change happens internally. There were weeks where progress was slow and weeks where it felt pointless. But sticking with it taught me patience and resilience. I stopped looking for quick fixes and started trusting consistency instead.
Mentally I feel calmer now. I don’t feel defined by a number in the same way. I feel more in control, more present and more comfortable being seen. Football feels enjoyable again rather than intimidating. I would also tell him that he doesn’t need to punish himself to improve. Progress doesn’t come from self-hate, it comes from discipline and self-respect. And finally I would tell him that the goal isn’t to become someone else. It’s to build a life that feels sustainable not extreme.
Who would you like to thank for their help in your progress?
I have already spoken before about how much my family and Coach Victor have supported me, and that still stands, their encouragement and the structure around me were important from the start. I would especially like to thank Matthew Lewis. He was a teammate who became a close friend during that time and when I was at my lowest he believed I could lose the weight even when I didn’t believe it myself. He saw good in me that I struggled to see and even if he probably didn’t realise the impact at the time that belief made a real difference.
I am also grateful to the teammates I have shared the pitch with, old and new, who have put up with me along the way and made Friday nights something I genuinely looked forward to. And a shout out to Coach Jasmine as well. On the weeks she stepped in she always seemed to care about the person first and the weight second. Sometimes just having conversations and feeling listened to made a bigger difference than numbers ever could.
Ultimately though, I am proud that I have been able to stay consistent and see it through.
What are your future hopes around your health and wellbeing?
My focus now is on sustainability. I want to maintain the habits I have built and keep feeling healthy rather than chasing extremes. For me, it’s about balance, continuing to enjoy football, staying active and looking after my health long term. I have learnt that wellbeing isn’t just about a number on the scale; it’s about consistency, sleep, movement and mental clarity. I want to keep building a lifestyle that feels realistic and sustainable so that the progress I have made isn’t temporary, it’s permanent.
How much are you looking forward to the game in May?
I am really looking forward to it. Opportunities like this don’t come around often and getting the chance to play at a professional stadium is something I don’t take for granted. It will be a great experience to share with the other participants and I am just excited to enjoy the game and take it all in.
