Manu Moreno, the broad, smiling Sevillian, lives across three trades: rugby player by day, medical student at the Universidad de Sevilla by night, and high fashion model when it suits. Almost two metres tall, the modern Renaissance man is impossible to miss.
Having moved far beyond the viral TikTok clip that catapulted Spain’s Rugby Sevens squad to global fame—a cheeky, shirtless flamenco dance filmed with his teammates—today, Moreno is a certified force on the world circuit: a member of the SVNS Dream Team, a bronze medallist at the 2023 European Games, and a scorer of standout tries against rugby giants like New Zealand and Fiji.
And if Moreno is coy about whether public attention has changed him, he keeps his answer simple: “No one likes to have their private life talked about, but, so far, I haven’t felt bad about it.” What he does love to talk about, he grins, is “sports and family.”
Selected for the Ultimate Sevens Championship, Moreno’s speciality is Rugby Sevens—a smaller, faster, more unforgiving format in which a single mistake can cost a side the entire match. On the pitch, Moreno is graceful and lethally quick, a transformation that surprises those who assume rugby is a sport of pure physicality. “People think this is a sport of brutes. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he smiles. “Rugby is about reading the game, always knowing how to control your body.”
After watching his older brother play, Moreno started playing rugby at 15. Against peers who had been training since childhood, calling this “late” is light by professional standards—yet he speaks about it with the calm of someone who has never felt behind. “I’ve always adapted quickly,” he says. “And rugby might be the most inclusive sport I’ve ever seen.”
While Moreno’s achievements speak for themselves, they are just one of many wholesome confessions from the tripartite athlete. “Rugby taught me the most important thing in life,” he says. “To keep moving forward without fear.” Taking crushing tackles, he explains, is the same as “taking blows in life.” It helps that Moreno is switched on: he brings his knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics from his studies into his training. “Of course, my knowledge of the anatomy of [the] body also helps,” he says, breaking down the mechanics of each drill and motion with surgical precision.
As Rugby Sevens shares the same pitch size as traditional rugby, with only half the players, controlling that vast space takes players beyond exhaustion. Sprinting, not running, is common for the entire 14-minute duration. “When the body can’t do it anymore physically,” Moreno admits, “it’s the grit that makes a game go one way.” Against crushing blows and exhaustion, absolute trust between players being pushed to their limits is essential. “Playing with people you respect means you’re obliged to keep going, to give it your all.” But how does he manage it himself? “When I reach the edge of exhaustion,” he says coolly, “I repeat one thing: now or never.”
Spain may still be glowing from its recent Football World Cup victory, but with the country’s growing obsession with Rugby Sevens, Moreno is ready to take the next shot at the crown. He’s clearly excited, having recently been celebrated by the mayor of his home town, Seville. “Seeing the mayor was huge emotionally for me— watching so many people I love come together to celebrate my sporting career.” Hearing the passion of the fans is just as meaningful: “It’s another place where you get to have your work recognised.”
Photography: David Gómez-Maestre
Styling: Alicia Padrón
Grooming: José Carlos González
Set Design: Meow Studio
Talent: Manu Moreno
Casting Direction: Establishment New York
Production: Sample
Photography Assistants: Mario Val, Mark Benajes
Digital Operator: Miguel Benajes
Styling Assistant: Irene Monje
Set Design Assistant: Miriam Velo