Melissa Ortiz once experienced international soccer from the field. Today, audiences know her from the other side of the camera. The Colombian American former professional player and Olympian has turned her years on the field into a growing career in sports media. In 2026, she joined FOX Sports’ FIFA World Cup coverage, bringing something few broadcasters can: the perspective of an athlete who knows what it means to represent a country on an international stage.
Born in Florida to Colombian parents, Ortiz chose to represent Colombia. She played for the national team at the 2012 London Olympics and also represented the country at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and Copa América before stepping away from professional soccer in 2017.
© IG: Melissa OrtizA New Generation in Sports Media
Broadcasting did not simply come with retirement. Ortiz built her own platform and learned how to translate what she understood as a player into a voice that could connect with audiences. Along the way, she has expanded beyond broadcasting, building a portfolio that includes entrepreneurship, investing and advisory work while developing a significant presence across social media.
Then came the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Ortiz returned to one of soccer’s biggest global stages, this time with a microphone in her hand. Joining FOX Sports’ coverage brought the two sides of her career together and placed her before an international audience at the sport’s defining tournament.
© IG: Melissa OrtizHer rise also reflects something larger happening across sports media. A new generation of Latina journalists, analysts and former athletes is becoming increasingly visible in the conversations surrounding the world’s biggest sporting events. Ortiz brings to that space something distinctly her own: the experience of having competed at the highest level while representing Colombia.
Soccer never really left her life. Her place in it changed. Ortiz once represented Colombia with the game at her feet. Today, she is helping tell its stories, becoming part of a generation of Latinas expanding their presence on the other side of the camera.
