The internet is buzzing with the latest viral sensation that has burst out from the reality series bubble and is world famous, to say the least. In all honesty, from memes about cats to viral dances, it seems like anything can break the internet these days.
But in this case, it’s a dramatic moment from Temptation Island: Spain.
The phrase “Montoya, Por Favor” (Montoya, please) has now become a memed line echoing through social media. The star behind this meme? José Carlos Montoya, a contestant from the reality show.
Temptation Island is a reality show where couples face challenges designed to test their loyalty. Separated from their partners and placed in different villas, the participants get involved with singles, leading to dramatic twists and emotional roller coasters.
Jose Carlos Montoya and his girlfriend, Anita Williams, found themselves at the center of one such moment during the show’s eighth season. Montoya’s heartbreaking meltdown after discovering Anita in a compromising situation with another man quickly became the talk of social media, spawning the now-infamous meme: Montoya, Por Favor.
The meme’s origins trace back to a jaw-dropping moment where Montoya, watching a live feed of his girlfriend and another contestant, Manuel, becoming intimate, leading to Montoya absolutely losing the plot. Screaming in agony, Montoya dashed to the other villa, hoping to stop Anita from going through with her actions.
The host, Sandra Barneda, repeatedly shouted “Montoya, Por Favor,” trying to calm him down as security intervened. While the cameras captured Montoya’s emotional breakdown, the phrase soon became an internet sensation.
While Montoya’s emotional breakdown may have put him in the viral spotlight, his background is more than just reality TV drama. Many outlets, including The Sun, have speculated about what Montoya does professionally, with most reports painting him as a social media personality or model.
While he does boast over 270k followers on his Instagram, one X user posted a graphic that unearths information about the past and that he had a career in football.
Montoya’s football career, although not in the top-tier leagues, traces back to Spain’s lower divisions. According to a graphic circulating online, Montoya played as a defender for a club named El Tinte de Utrera Senior in Seville, in the Andalusian Second Division. The club’s name translates roughly to The Ink/Dye of Utrera Senior.
Montoya wasn’t just a one-season wonder; he played for them during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.
Interestingly, his football career even stretches back to 2014/15, when he was part of CD Coronil in the Primera Andaluza, the first division in Andalusian football.
Over 4 different seasons, Montoya played 40 games, scoring 2 goals and averaging just over 31 minutes per game—a modest yet respectable contribution.
It’d be easy to assume that this could be an entirely different Montoya, as the name is a rather common name in Spain. But the personal data and the image in the graphic all seem to lineup.
Montoya is listed as being 31 years old, with his date of birth as 21st July 1993, which matches his age as listed by some websites. Along with this, his birthplace, Utrera, Seville matches the clubs he played for and his footballing journey.
Even the image on the stats website looks extremely similar to how Montoya’s facial structure is, making it easy to believe that Montoya was infact a baller.
While Jose Carlos Montoya may have been thrust into the viral spotlight for his heart-wrenching outburst on Temptation Island: Spain, his football background adds an interesting layer to his public persona.
The meme has gotten so popular that even football clubs have embraced it to bring in the views on their social media channels.
